


Flashback

by got_milkovich, themetalmotel



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempted Kidnapping, Blow Jobs, F/M, Falling In Love, Flashbacks, Flashforward - Freeform, Fluff, Friendship, Frottage, Humor, Ian Gallagher Loves Mickey Milkovich, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Mutual Masturbation, Near Death Experiences, Nipple Play, Oral Sex, Past Abuse, Power Bottom Mickey Milkovich, Praise Kink, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Shower Sex, Slow Burn, Smut, So much fluffy sweetness, Top Mickey Milkovich, Violence, flip fucking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-08
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2019-06-06 22:02:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 77,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15204395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/got_milkovich/pseuds/got_milkovich, https://archiveofourown.org/users/themetalmotel/pseuds/themetalmotel
Summary: Crossing the border alone and heartbroken felt like the end for Mickey but little did he know his life was just beginning.  A good deed lands him the job of his dreams and a life he can be finally be proud to live.Meanwhile, Ian has adjusted to his new meds and he realizes the decision to abandon Mickey at the border was a mistake.As fate always does with soulmates, they find themselves being thrown back into each other's lives.





	1. Photograph

**Author's Note:**

> The story is complete!!!! 
> 
> Thank you to the fabulous got_milkovich for editing this thing!!! #youcompleteme

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After years of not seeing each other, Ian reunites with Mandy at the art show she is hosting in Chicago. The paintings are absolutely beautiful, and seem so familiar to Ian. Painfully familiar, thus triggering memories of his relationship with Mickey, and causing emotions he once buried long ago to resurface.

Ian was hesitant to go because he had not heard of the artist, not to mention he didn’t know much about art as a whole.He knew some basics…Picasso, Monet, Van Gogh.The shit they teach in high school, that was about it. Also, he was nervous to see her again.

It had been forever, and she had the ability to bring everything back and reopen the wound—the wound which was still not quite healed, and not sure it would ever be.He lay in bed and started to count the stars on his ceiling for the umpteenth time—anything to keep his mind off of what was really going on in his head. Replaying it on repeat. Always on repeat.Ian hopped out of bed, threw on a shirt and ran his fingers through his thick red hair.

“Fuck.FUCK! I gotta go.”

When Uber arrived, he stomped out his smoke, hopped into the car and told the driver to bring him to the art district on Halsted.It was a thirty minute ride, which gave him time to come up with some easy conversation topics to keep things light.They hadn’t seen each other for years, and as much as he wanted to know, he didn’t. He wasn’t ready.Yet.

“Light, just keep it light," he told himself.

As they pulled up, Ian was surprised to see a line of people down the street and wrapped around the corner for God knows how far. A lump started to form in his throat. He was nervous just being there in the first place, and now he had to stand in line. He thought about telling the driver to turn around, but he fought the urge and got out of the car. As he began his walk to the end of the line, he heard her call his name.

“Ian!” 

He turned around to see Mandy in the doorway, waving for him to come inside. She looked beautiful—this suited her, he thought. They hugged tightly inside the doorway for what seemed like an hour. He could have held her longer, but he could feel her start to release. He smiled at her and made a joke about her not wearing black. She rolled her eyes and grabbed his face. 

“God, I missed you. I think of you a lot, Ian. I think of all of you.”

She hesitated for a moment before asking about Lip. Ian replied with the canned answer he gave everyone: “Living the life.”

Ian glanced around the room at the people gathered in front of the different pieces. Some were big, some were small, but you could definitely tell that they were from the same artist. Ian and Mandy made their way over to the makeshift bar where they were offered “red” or “white” wine or beer. At the same time they both answered “red.” As they sipped their wine, Mandy was watching Ian as he looked around the room.

“Would you like to walk around? I'm very familiar with these pieces. I know this artist very well, and he has told me about each of them. I can give you an insider perspective if you want.”

He couldn’t help but laugh under his breath. “Sure.”

He couldn’t get over the fact that Mandy was now an art dealer. Drug dealer, yes. Art dealer, no. He would be sure to get all the details once they were able to spend some time together catching up.

They approached the first piece—a beautiful painting of the beach, turquoise blue water and a sailboat in the distance. The sun was about to set and disappear into the ocean. There were two palm trees which provided shade, and a little dog curled up on a bright yellow towel. 

He asked Mandy about the piece. “This was the very first piece in the collection. It was the first piece of art that he ever painted, actually. He hung it on his wall and continued to work his day job for almost a year. Every night he would come home and stare at his creation. It made him happy when not much else did at that time. Painting the picture had been a release for him, as simple as the subject matter may have seemed. He decided then that he must do more, and that was that. And so, his collection started to grow.”

Ian was intrigued and glanced around the room. Another piece caught his eye—a marina that reminded him a little of Chicago’s own South Side docks. The moon and stars in the sky reflected off the water. Everything in the picture was softer and more beautiful than the local docks, but he still found beauty in them that nobody else was able to see. He felt an ache in his heart—that familiar ache that was always there just beneath the surface, like a tattoo that could not be removed. It was there, and he was sure it always would be.

Mandy didn’t say anything; she just watched Ian, noticing how his expression changed. She didn’t know if she should move him to the next piece or let him continue to take in the painting. She let him be and just stood next to him until he was ready to move on. As the crowd began to thin out and only a few stragglers were left, Ian walked around and took in each piece.

Mandy walked up next to Ian, gently grabbing his forearm. “Thanks for waiting for me, but I'm gonna be here a bit longer. I have an interested buyer, and I don’t wanna keep you waiting. How about lunch tomorrow at our usual place?”

Ian smiled and nodded. “Will noon work?”

“Noon is perfect!”

On the way back to his house, Ian asked the driver if they could make a quick stop. The driver nodded and made a U-turn. _Why did I do that? Why?_ Ian thought to himself. He felt like his mouth asked without his permission, but it was too late. They were already on their way.

As they pulled up, Ian started to get that feeling again—the ache. He told the driver he would be right back and got out of the car. He made his way over the dusty ground and over to the dock yard. _The spot_. Everything still looked pretty much the same, and that started to make him feel sick. He traced his finger along the boat and felt a tear run down his face. He wiped it away and headed back to the car quickly.

*******

When Ian woke the next morning, his first thought was of that picture. His mind frequently brought him back to the dock, but he always tried to quickly shake it out of his head. It never really worked, but at least he tried. He dried off from his shower and got dressed quickly so he could beat Mandy to the restaurant to make sure he got their old table. He would wait for it if he had to, but it was their spot. They _had_ to sit in their spot again. 

As he waited, those images started to flood his brain. The flashbacks came often. The more they came, the more he hurt. At the time he didn’t realize how much Mickey had loved him. Cared for him. Kept him safe and secure. He found it ironic that Mickey wore that security vest at the Kash and Grab. Mickey was truly Ian’s security; the only person who never put their self before Ian. The only one who loved him selflessly. He didn’t see it at the time, but he did now, and that hurt worse than anything could ever hurt in his entire world.

Ian saw Mandy walking toward the door, and he couldn’t help himself but to watch her. He couldn’t believe how much she had changed. She was confident and happy—bubbly happy, like she had been storing it until it finally built up and overflowed out of her. Ian liked this Mandy. She deserved to be this happy. 

As she headed toward their table, she almost skipped. “Our table! You got our table!” She giggled and gave Ian a kiss on his cheek.

“So what did you think about the show last night?”

“I liked it.” Ian replied.

Mandy looked surprised. “Really? I thought you hated that stuff.”

“I really liked it, Mandy. Can you tell me about the piece at the marina?”

Mandy smiled. “You liked that piece? I wasn’t sure if you liked it or hated it last night.”

Ian looked shocked. “What do you mean?”

Mandy replied. “The expression that was on your face…I just couldn’t tell.”

“Yes, I liked it a lot. I really liked it.”

Mandy wanted to ask him why, but she wasn’t sure if she should. She never knew what might set Ian into a mood. She had been assured that his meds were adjusted and working well now, but she had been away so long, she wanted to see it for herself before testing those waters.

“He told me that the marina was a special place for him, and he wanted to capture it the way he remembered it before a hotel went up and replaced it.”

Ian thought to himself how special his dockyard was once for him, too. Ian couldn’t bring himself to ask anything else because that feeling had made its way back to the surface. He wanted to ask her so many questions. _That_ question. He wanted to know but was petrified of the answer, so he pushed it back down. For now.

A waitress approached their table. “Coffee?”

“Yes please, and keep it coming,” Mandy replied.

Mandy directed her attention back to Ian. “Now tell me everything since the last time we saw each other. Don’t skip a detail!”

They talked for what seemed like ages, like no time had elapsed between them. 

* * *

Mickey was beside himself. He paced the floor almost wearing a pathway into the tile. _Why should I be this worried? Why should I even care? It’s not like it even matters anymore_. He started to feel homicidal since Mandy had yet to call him with an update.

His mind was on overload. He had to get out of his head before it exploded. He grabbed his bag and followed the worn path to his favorite escape.

He needed to be outside of his head, and he needed to be there now.

 


	2. Dead and Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While anxiously awaiting Mandy’s return with news about Ian, Mickey flashes back to the last time he saw him in his rear view mirror and how much his life has changed since.

As Mickey sat on the boat waiting to arrive at his favorite spot, he could feel the sun on his back and began to feel calmer already. His skin was so pale when he lived in Chicago. Living so close to the equator, he thought he would need to bathe in sunscreen before opening his blinds. His skin somehow seemed to adjust as if he'd lived here all his life. His back and arms were tan. Everything was tan except for the lines in the shape of his favorite T-shirt.

As the boat was making its way to their destination, Mickey let his head fall back and relaxed, facing the sun. He would never have guessed in a million years that this would be his life now—that he would be on a dive boat getting ready to willingly jump into the ocean, and that it would be his favorite thing. It's the only thing that would take his mind off of the worries of this world and put him entirely somewhere else, somewhere peaceful. Mickey never had real peace before in his life, and any peace he did have never lasted long enough to enjoy.

*******

_He didn’t care for the ocean at first. When he arrived in his new town, he decided to go for a swim on a rough day and barely escaped, being pulled into a rip current from which he had to be rescued. As he lay on the sand catching his breath he thought to himself: I've escaped prison, made it over the border wearing a dress, and this is how I’m gonna fucking die? But one day he heard a story that changed his mind entirely._

_He was sitting at his spot at the bar and heard a group of tourists talking about their day. He glanced over and saw an older man with grey hair, who was in much better shape than him at the time. His skin was tan, and his eyes were the color of the ocean. He was talking to two younger carbon copies of himself that had to be his sons. The older man began to tell a story, and Mickey couldn’t help himself from eavesdropping._

_“I remember my first time,” the older man said._

_Aren’t these two fucks a little old for the birds and bees talk? Mickey asked himself. He kept listening intently, intrigued for some reason. He "shushed" the guy talking loudly next to him so he could hear every word._

_“When you begin, the first couple dives are an adjustment period. The color spectrum changes, and your eyes have to adjust to the filtered light. It is a complete sensory transformation. You feel weightless and sounds disappear, apart from the sound coming out of your breathing apparatus and the bubbles escaping to the surface. You don’t begin to notice the other sounds until your body has adjusted and you are comfortable. That is when you start to really see this ecosystem that exists, and feel sad that you didn’t know about it sooner. There is a cacophony of sounds from the parrotfish scraping off pieces of the coral to the croaking, groaning, or drumming sounds of different marine species. Then, if you are lucky, you will get to hear a dolphin or whale song."_

_Or the sound of me shitting in my dive suit when I see a fucking shark, Mickey thought to himself with a smirk._

_One day while exploring his new town, he came across a dive shop and ventured in to look around, if for nothing else than to see what the fuck a breathing apparatus was. "Fucking breathing apparatus…I’ll just use my mouth to breathe, fuck you very much," he said quietly with a snicker. As he was wandering through the store, he overheard who he could only guess to be the owner, who sounded none too thrilled with a perpetually truant employee. The conversation became heated and Mickey smiled, thinking about how it reminded him of being back home. The owner was definitely not from Mexico. He had an accent, and Mickey could not help but think of a movie he watched when he was younger, maybe ten._

_“Are you for Scuba?” Mickey didn’t realize he said that out loud, but figured it out when the shop owner quickly turned to look at him with a big smile._

_The man laughed and made his way over to Mickey, not stopping until he was invading his personal space. He continued with the movie script like he watched it every day. “So, I see you are new to ze island. I want to come have a meet with you, show you my boat. That is my boat right zere on ze sandbar.” He pointed to his boat in the marina. “My name is Claude.”_

_Mickey couldn’t help but let out a huge laugh and quickly responded with “It’s very big.” They both started laughing. Mickey held out his hand to introduce himself, something he had never done before in his life. “My name is Alek.”_

_They shook hands and Mickey asked, “So what's your real name?”_

_The man responded, “Believe it or not, it really is Claude.”_

_Claude turned to face the employee, who was nervously waiting. He told him to scram and to never come back. He looked at Mickey and said, “You’re hired.”_

_Mickey looked more than puzzled. He told him that he doesn’t swim, let alone dive._

_“And how do you even know if I'm looking for a job?”_

_Claude responded, “I remember when I crossed ze border and had to start fresh. No diving experience required. I need someone to help with ze gear, loading and unloading, washing ze equipment when ze boats come in for ze day, fill ze air tanks. That kind of merde.  And I need you to be here when you are supposed to be. If you can do zat, I will pay you under ze table.”_

_That was an offer that Mickey could not refuse. “I’ll do it,” thus marking the beginning of his diving obsession._

*******

After he returned from his dive, he was relaxed and in a much better frame of mind. He was emotionally tired, though, which was the worst kind of tired. He laid down on his bed and his mind started to wander again.

“Shit! Fuck!” He hopped out of the bed like it was hot lava and ran over to his phone sitting on his dresser.

Nothing. Still nothing.

Should he call Mandy to find out what the fuck is going on?

No. Definitely not.

 _Bad idea, Mickey._ _Very bad_.

He decided to take a quick shower before heading down the road to his favorite watering hole. He knew he would know most of the people in the bar, except for the few tourist stragglers that wandered off the beaten path. His life had changed quite drastically over the past two years, and he liked it.

He dried himself off and flipped through the shirts in his closet. He loved this new ritual now that he had acquired a decent wardrobe. He carefully laid out his outfit on the bed. Next he picked out his watch, then a pair of sandals. He had so many sandals—too many, as if he had a point to prove. _Sandals and tequila_ , he thought, letting out a small laugh.

He ended up picking a pair of white linen shorts and a very snug black T-shirt. His watch was silver and his sandals were black. He looked damn good, and he knew it. He checked his ass in the mirror and raised an eyebrow in admiration before grabbing his wallet and walking out the door.

The night sky was bright. The moon was full, and it reflected beautifully off of the ocean that peeked between each house that he passed on his way. The street was not paved but smooth, not rocky, and it was lined with palm trees and flowers. This was a main street the neighboring town had to take to get to the nightlife, which kept it in good walking condition. He could hear the music off in the distance, and could see the flames from the tiki torches that were in front of every bar and restaurant in the circle.

He made a quick left and walked into the bar. “Alek!” everyone shouted. He was finally used to his new name.

“What’s up, bitchachos?!” he responded as he sat down at the bar and jumped right into the conversation like he had been there all night.

*******

Mickey woke up the next morning with a pounding headache. “Too. Much. Tequila,” he whispered, and rolled over to check his phone. His heart sank as he read his sister's name on a text she had sent late the night before. He hesitated before opening the text.

 _We need to talk. I’ll be home tomorrow night at 9pm. Pick me up, fucker._

Mickey didn’t know how he would make it until then without losing his fucking mind. He started the coffee pot, showered, then threw on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. He would go down and offer to help Claude to keep his mind off of his worries. He was going to keep himself as busy as possible until he saw Mandy’s face.

He spent all day with Claude at the shop, helping to restock supplies and fill the air tanks. They spent hours scrubbing off the barnacles that were starting to form on the bottom of the dive boats. It was like his fucking therapy. Mind elsewhere. Even though he wasn’t working for Claude anymore, he still liked to help him out and spend time with him. Claude was the father figure Mickey never had before. 

It was 7pm when he finished up and started to head home. He went directly outside and sat down to admire his new place from his patio. His. Fucking. Place. He lit a joint and cracked open a beer. He needed to somehow sedate himself enough to make it through a couple more hours of waiting for his sister to get back home.

As he sat there, his mind started wandering back in time. He let himself go there, and didn’t try to stop it this time. He let his mind replay what brought him here.

*******

_Mickey was sweating. His stomach was doing somersaults, his voice was shaky, and his eyes were filled with tears. He was on the verge of a breakdown, he was certain. His hands were shaking, and he was hoping that the border agent wouldn’t notice. He saw the dog. Shit. This wasn’t his car. Fuck. Could there be drugs in here? That was probably the best distraction he could ask for at the time. He redirected his focus to the dog sniffing around the car, and everything else in his head disappeared for a few seconds. The agent handed the ID back to Mickey and waved him through. He didn’t know if he would have the ability to keep the car on the road until his nerves settled. He took one last look in the rearview mirror before hitting the gas. He could literally feel his heart breaking in his chest. This was worse than any beating Terry could have ever given him._

_“Goodbye, Gallagher,” he whispered under his breath as tears began to roll down his cheeks._

_Mickey wasn’t sure how long he had cried. His face was wet, and his neck and the top of the dress were soaked. He had only cried like that twice before in his life, and just when he thought he was finished, he started all over again. He was exhausted and needed to stop and rest for a while. He needed to have a smoke, change out of the hideous fucking get-up, and rehydrate before he could even think past that moment. He stopped at the first gas station he saw that was well-lit and looked like he might make it out alive. He stopped the car and went into the glove box to grab his gun, just in case. He looked up at the dashboard, and it didn’t hit him until that moment that Ian had left the contents of his savings in Mickey’s car. Mickey opened the car door and threw up the contents of his stomach until nothing but air was escaping him. It took him a while to catch his breath. He wiped his mouth off with his sleeve and tucked the money into his briefs._

_As he walked through the door, it occurred to him that he only knew how to say one thing in Spanish, and that sure as hell wasn’t going to help him here. He wandered around, grabbing up things to get him to his next stop, wherever the fuck that would end up being. Gum, Snickers…lots of Snickers…Slim Jims of course, and water. He dropped his first load off at the counter and then went right back to gathering up his necessities: a couple of forties, Red Bull, a map, a roll of paper towels, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a couple of lighters._

_He went up front and dropped the rest of his items onto the counter. He looked at the old man behind the counter, pointed to the Marlboro Reds behind him, then held up four fingers of his hand. He paid the man and headed back to the car._

_Mickey decided it was time to rummage through the car to see if there was anything he might find useful. He popped the trunk and found two suitcases and a duffel bag. He pulled out the duffel bag and found it full of toiletries: mouthwash, shaving cream, razors, baby wipes, deodorant, cologne, and body wash. He grabbed the mouthwash and took a sip. He swished it around and spit it on the ground. He took out the first suitcase, and it was filled with clothes. They were a size bigger than him, but he would have tied a rope around his waist to keep his pants up if that meant he could take off this goddamn dress. He settled for a blue T-shirt and a pair of track pants. They looked comfortable enough, and he needed all the comfort he could get right now. He set them aside and continued to rummage. He felt relieved knowing that he at least had this much. He opened the last suitcase and found shoes. A ton of fucking shoes. What man has this many fucking shoes? Sandals, sneakers, dress shoes, black shoes, brown shoes—there were more shoes in this suitcase than he had ever owned in his entire life, and they were his fucking size. It was like he had a guardian angel looking over him._

_He shoved everything back in the suitcases and hopped back into the car to find a place that was safe enough for him to stop for a smoke and get the fuck out of this contraption. He drove at least 10 miles before he found a road where he felt safe enough to pull over. He pulled the car behind a large rock so it was hidden from the road. He hopped out of the car and stripped. He stood there naked for a few minutes, and wished he could crawl into a bed like this and sleep for at least a year._

_He opened the trunk and took out the supplies to grab the pack of baby wipes he had spotted earlier. He wiped his face first. When he opened his eyes and looked at the cloth, it was black. He had forgotten that he had makeup on. Oh, fucking wonderful. He thought about how awful he must have looked to the old man. He wiped down his armpits and took a whore’s bath. He put on some deodorant and brushed his teeth using the water he had bought. It may have not been the Sheraton, but he felt a thousand times lighter and cleaner._

_He started going through the backseat to see if he could spot anything else. His heart sank into his stomach. He started shaking, and his eyes started welling up again. Fuck, fuck, FUCK. He got out of the car and screamed as loud as he could for as long as he could, and he didn’t care who heard him. It was like a knife was shoved right into his chest, and his entire body from his heart right down to his fingers and toes ached. He sat on the ground holding onto the picture and sobbed. Fucking sobbed. He cried loud, and it took his breath away. He cried out Ian’s name over and over again until he could no longer speak._

_Ian left him the picture._

_While Mickey lay on the ground, he tried to force himself to think of anything but Ian, very unsuccessfully._

_This isn’t me anymore._

_I love you._

_I’m sorry._

_I have a boyfriend._

_I moved on._

_He had a pain in his chest that he was sure would be there for the rest of his life. There was not one day that passed from the time he was arrested for that bullshit charge until the current second that he did not think of Ian._

_When he finally ran out of tears and had enough energy to sit up, he lit up a cigarette and took in a deep breath. He looked at the picture. That picture. The picture he once hid in a magazine next to his toilet. The one that hung on his bedroom wall. He was getting ready to rip it up, but he couldn't force himself to follow through with it. It was the only thing he had left to remember Ian by, and he was not ready to let that go yet. He placed it face down on his lap and spotted some writing._

_No._

_Just. Fucking. No._

_I can’t. Not now._

_I can’t take any more today. Not today._

_At that point, Mickey realized that not even one car had passed. There weren't any houses around him—nothing but open desert. He decided he would sleep in the car tonight. It’s not like he had much of a choice, anyway. He had not one speck of energy left in his entire body. He peed, downed a bottle of water, and lay down in the back seat, locking all of the doors. He put the gun on the floor next to him under his coat, just in case. He closed his eyes and didn't wake up until he felt the warm sunlight hitting his face._

_When he opened his eyes, it took him a few minutes to wrap his mind around what happened over the last 24 hours. Not even 48 hours ago, he was lying under the stars with Ian._

_Are you having second thoughts? Ian had asked him. Fucking asked HIM if he had second thoughts. His stomach ached. He wasn’t the one having second thoughts apparently. He sat up slowly and looked around. He was happy he picked this spot. It was beautiful. The desert, the red rocks, and all kinds of flowers and plants and shit he never thought he would see in person. It was like he entered another world._

_He did, actually. His world was new. His life was new. He had been given a do-over, so to speak._

_He grabbed one of the bags and pulled out a Snickers bar and a bottle of water. He inhaled both, then went back for round two. He got out of the car to take a piss and have a smoke. It was warm. Hot, actually. He took his piss, then pulled out the map to figure out where the fuck he should go. He didn’t know anything other than he had to be somewhere by the ocean. That was the only thing that mattered to him._

_He laid that fucking dress out on the ground, sat down on it and prepared to make a plan. He looked at the map and studied the shape of Mexico. He read the names to see if anything stood out. He started with the names of the cities along the coast. He wanted to stay on the west coast for some reason. It felt safer to him. Further away._

_He traced his finger diagonally from where he crossed the border to the ocean. Acapulco it is._

_Before he got in the car, he needed to get his head back on straight and think like a Milkovich. He began running through all of the crisis scenarios. It was best to be prepared for the worst. He started to think through each “what if” and began making mental notes. He needed to get a fake ID. That was a definite, but that also meant that he would have to deal with some unsavory types, and he wanted to leave that shit at the border. He promised himself that he would be a different person the moment his feet hit Mexican soil. Whatever he needed to do to get himself there was free game, but that was it after that._

_He looked over at the pile of women’s clothes and picked up the corner of the dress. He lit it with his lighter, then tossed the flaming dress on top of the tights, the boots, the wig and the fucking earrings. The shit stunk like the high heavens, but he watched until the last flame was gone and everything was black._

_It was ceremonious to him. Dead and gone. Mickey Milkovich was no more. He was more than happy to kiss that name goodbye._

_He wasn’t sure if the news of his escape would have made the news over the border, but his stomach felt unsettled. Until he was comfortable, he had to lay low and come up with a more suitable disguise._

_He needed a new name. After going through the alphabet several times, coming up with a different name each time for each letter, he was over it._

_Mikhailo Aleksandr…_

_Aleksandr…Alek…_

_Alek it is._

_He studied the map for about two smokes, then got in the car and headed for the ocean._

* * *

Mickey snapped back to the present and looked at his watch. It was time to go get Mandy. He hopped in his car and took off toward the airport. He was going to hear about Ian. He would find out why Mandy needed to talk.

He admitted to himself that he was scared shitless.


	3. If Our Love is Wrong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian and Mandy spend the night catching up and reminiscing. Ian flashes back to the night before Terry catches him with Mickey.

Ian walked Mandy out to her taxi and hugged her tight. He was so thankful he was able to spend time with her again. He loved Mandy like his own sister. He thought that one day she _would_ be his sister. She put her hands on either side of his face and smiled at him, but her eyes welled up with tears. She told him she would be in touch soon. He stood on the corner until the cab was out of sight. He walked back into the hotel and headed up to the room. Mandy booked the room until the following day and told Ian to stay and enjoy himself. He didn't argue.

He plopped down on the bed and decided to take a nap. He was exhausted, and he felt bad for Mandy having to travel since they had stayed up all night catching up and didn't get a wink of sleep.

* * *

**_The night before_ **

When they first got to the hotel, Ian was all about having the conversation. He wanted to ask Mandy so bad, but he kept pushing it back down. They caught up a bit at lunch, but that conversation was simply surface. They hadn't talked about anything in great detail as they both seemed to be feeling each other out. Not tonight, though. Tonight, they were diving deep.

Mandy changed into a pair of pretty pink pajamas with white lace trim around the bottom of the legs and shirt. She washed the makeup from her face and put her hair up in a messy bun. She brushed her teeth and put on lotion. She looked even more beautiful this way, if that was even possible. If only  _she_ knew that she was absolutely lovely, and that any guy lucky enough to win her heart would have won the fucking lottery. He wished Mandy could see herself through his eyes. She was too good for Lip. She always was and always would be.

Ian brought a duffel bag, and he changed into a pair of sweats and a T-shirt. He followed the same routine as Mandy. They sat on the bed, and the floor became lava. They thumbed through the room service menu and picked about ten different appetizers instead of dinners. They ordered dessert as well, and a bottle each of red and white wine. Mandy turned on the TV, but instead of watching a show, she found a music station that they both liked. She turned it down to background music so they could hear every word the other was saying.

They started off talking about Ian’s family. He went through each member and gave a briefing of each one. She paid special attention when he got to Lip. She was happy to hear that he was doing very well for himself. He had the job of his dreams, made a fuck ton of money, and he had houses on the East and West coast since he traveled to both frequently for his job. She was even more thrilled when Ian told her that his girlfriend dumped him recently and broke his heart. She tried to at least act a little sympathetic before she let out an evil laugh.

As Ian was finishing up his briefing of the last family member, he suddenly became sick thinking about when it was Mandy's turn to talk. Would she start with her family? Would _his_ name come up right off the bat? _Oh, fuck._  He began to sweat, then the butterflies, nausea and lightheadedness followed. He was saved by a loud knock at the door...momentarily, anyway.

“Room Service!”

Ian hopped off of the bed and opened the door. He looked back at Mandy with large eyes and an  _oh shit_ look on his face. There were three carts being pushed into the room by three people. Mandy started laughing like an idiot. _Hard_. Ian was mortified, which didn’t shut her the fuck up. She laughed even harder, even snorting once or twice. Her laugh was contagious, and it spread around the room like a virus until everyone was laughing like they had known each other for years. Ian handed over a nice tip and said goodbye to the room service staff like they were old friends.

He pushed all of the carts around the bed so that they would not have to get up again unless they had to pee or take a smoke break. They began placing the dishes on the bed in between them, taking off each lid like it was Christmas morning and they just opened the Barbie-fucking-townhouse. The discussion turned to the food, and Ian couldn’t have been more thrilled. It calmed him down, and he was able to devour at least half of the food sitting in front of him. Mandy somehow managed to fit the other half into her tiny body. He did the math in his head, and just couldn’t figure out where it all went.

Mandy traced her finger across a line of raspberry drizzle from a plate that once contained cheesecake, then she threw herself back onto the pillows, licked her finger, and asked Ian to tell her about himself first. She would go last. Ian was relieved; maybe by the time they got to Mandy, he would at least have a pretty good buzz going to take the edge off.

Ian started with his failed relationships he'd had since he last talked to Mandy. Nothing special there—a couple of idiots with whom he tried to recreate something that only existed with Mickey and failed miserably. They were just a distraction at best. He talked about his job as an EMT, and also about working at the club. She even made him stand up on the bed and show her some moves. She turned the music up and absolutely screamed when he started to roll his midsection.

"HOLY. FUCKING. SHIT. Ian, seriously...that was one of the hottest things I have ever seen in my life. Fuck. You should stand on the corner with a coffee can and do that all day...you'd be able to retire by the end of the month!"

Ian laughed and plopped back down on the bed, quite proud of himself.

"Still got it," he quipped, brushing the metaphorical dirt off of his shoulder.

He continued to talk until he got to a point where he would be forced to talk about what he had been dreading all night. It's funny how talking about his favorite person on planet Earth made him sick to his stomach. He became quiet and looked at the pillow in front of him for a minute or two. He was afraid to look up at Mandy. She reached out her hand and put it on his.

“Ian, if you don’t wanna talk about it, you don’t have to. It’s okay.”

He looked up at Mandy, and when his eyes met hers he lost control of his emotions. He welled up, the tears streaming uncontrollably down his face. He was crying so hard that he lost his breath. Mandy ran into the bathroom and came back with a box of tissues. At this point Ian was lying on his side in the fetal position, crying harder than she had seen anyone cry.

Well, besides one other person.

She put the box in between them and lay on the pillow next to him. She reached out her hand to hold his. He squeezed it and cried until there weren't any tears left. Once he regained his composure, he sighed loudly then flipped over on his back, facing the ceiling. He proceeded to tell Mandy his story.

He told her that when he was first diagnosed with his disease, he didn’t think it was true. He saw that Fiona and Lip were fucking up just as bad as him, if not worse, and he felt like he was being treated unfairly by his siblings. The worst part was when the man he loved most in the world started to believe it. He was angry and upset and hurt. He felt betrayed. 

When Ian pulled the army stunt, he remembered telling Mandy that he was heartbroken over Mickey and that was why he was leaving, but that was all he could manage while sitting on her front steps with Mickey just inside. He would have to give her all of the details leading up to this decision. He told her about Mickey getting shot in the ass, and the impromptu surgery he had on his kitchen counter top. They both laughed until they cried. This life they led in the South Side could either be a horror show, or a fucking comedic dream. He gave her the highlights of their relationship that were important. He told her about what happened when he spent the night with Mickey while she was with Lip, and about how excited he was to get to spend that much time alone with him; in private, and without judgment. He was floating on air the entire day just thinking about that evening.  

Ian drifted away as he started to remember that night in vivid detail.

*******

_Ian put in a movie and they sat back on Mickey's couch, drinking a few beers each. They flirted heavily with each other, exchanging looks and smiling at one another. Butterflies galore. Ian got up to use the bathroom, and when he came back the lights were off, but the movie was still playing. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. They'd had sex on many occasions before, but Mickey had kissed him. He finally fucking kissed him, and Ian was sure they would kiss again. He felt like electricity was coursing through his veins as he made his way back to the couch._

_When Ian sat back down this time, he sat much closer to Mickey and watched him out of the corner of his eye. Mickey put his beer down and rubbed his face, then picked it back up and took a sip. He put the beer back down again, then put his hands on his thighs and rubbed them nervously. Ian thought that was the cutest thing he had ever seen, and was relieved to know that Mickey was just as nervous as he was._

_This went on for a good ten minutes before Ian got a little braver. He turned his head to look Mickey dead in the eye, and they held eye contact until Ian could feel himself starting to harden in his pants. His eyes went to Mickey’s lips—those beautiful, full pink lips. Mickey licked them, and Ian was done._

_Game on._

_Ian kissed Mickey soft at first, remembering that this was his first real kiss besides the quick peck in the van. Mickey was absolutely not having it though, quickly grabbing the back of Ian’s neck and pulling him close—hard, and unexpectedly. Both of their mouths opened wide, and Mickey rolled his tongue against Ian's. Ian grabbed Mickey’s bottom lip with his mouth and began to suck on it until he heard Mickey whimper. Well, fuck...Ian was at full staff now, and at least two inches of his cock was sticking out of his jeans. Mickey’s hand made its way over to the part of Ian that was exposed. He rubbed his thumb over Ian's slit, picking up the precum that he was leaking. He began to rub gently in circular motions around the sensitive head, driving Ian fucking insane. Ian almost lost it right then and there._

_Ian slid his hands under Mickey’s shirt and ran his fingers up Mickey’s stomach until he reached his nipples, where he stopped to rub and play with each one. Mickey jumped at the sensation, quickly pulling away to pull his shirt over his head, telling Ian to do the same. Ian slid his hands back down Mickey’s stomach, down to his jeans, rubbing his groin and making his dick throb. He undid Mickey’s jeans, and Mickey laid back on the couch, lifting himself up so Ian could pull them off, taking his own off while he was at it._

_This was the first time Ian had seen Mickey without this much clothing on, and he was taken aback by how beautiful he looked laying there in front of him. They had fucked before, but always with them just dropping their pants. Except for their first time, but he barely had a chance to admire Mickey then like he could now. Ian wasn’t sure what to do next; Mickey had just been shot in the ass because of him, and he wasn’t sure if Mickey would be up for getting fucked right now._

_Mickey answered Ian’s question by pushing him down onto the couch and climbing on top of him. They kissed hard and fast, and it was like a fucking dream. Ian began rolling his hips, creating delicious friction that was driving him insane, especially when he heard “Fuuuuck, Gallagher" escape from Mickey’s lips. Ian loved hearing his name come out of that mouth. Mickey situated himself against Ian so that their cocks were pressed up against each other, only the thin cotton from their briefs separating them. Ian was panting into Mickey’s mouth, wanting more. Ian was about to lose all control, but he wanted to enjoy more of Mickey before he came. He broke the kiss to move down Mickey's jaw, then over to his neck until he was right next to his ear. Ian whispered softly while they continued to rut even harder._

_“Need you in my mouth now. Is that okay?”_

_Mickey shook his head so fast that Ian thought his neck might snap. Ian took his time making his way down to the prize, kissing and licking Mickey's stomach, then sucking on his hip bones, admiring Mickey like he never could before. Mickey's head lay back on the pillow behind him. His stomach twitched and his back arched off of the couch when Ian would hit a sensitive spot._

_Ian’s fingers were biting into that beautiful ass as he took Mickey into his mouth, hollowing out his cheeks and using an incredible amount of suction. He licked a thick stripe from his perineum to the tip of Mickey’s cock, where he spent some time enjoying Mickey's taste before making his way back down. He pulled the sensitive skin of Mickey's balls into his mouth gently, licking and sucking while very lightly jerking just the top of Mickey's cock, concentrating on the sensitive head. Mickey was moaning loud,and he called out Ian’s name for the first time. His FIRST NAME, not a nickname for once. Ian took Mickey into his mouth until his nose was buried deep into the black hair around Mickey’s groin. He kept that pace, bringing Mickey quickly to the brink. Ian not just wanted, but needed to taste all of Mickey. It was dire need at this point. Mickey went rigid, then starting giving into the spasms from his orgasm. He came hard down Ian’s throat, and Ian savored every drop Mickey gave him._

_The evening continued with make-out sessions, grinding against each other like their lives depended on it._

_Then this happened, and Ian was certain that he heard angels sing:_

_Mickey pulled Ian to the floor and climbed on top of him._ _He situated himself so that his balls were flush against Ian's, and their hard dicks were touching each other almost flush. Mickey grabbed both of their cocks with one hand at the base and used the other to play with both of their heads, jerking them off gently and sending the most amazing sensation Ian had ever felt coursing through every part of his body._

_Mickey then brought both of his hands together snugly and started to jerk them both off from base to tip. Their precum started to pool on their sensitive tips, and with that, Mickey took his index finger and started to swirl the salty liquid over both of their heads, mixing them together. It felt so fucking good, and Ian couldn't believe that the man who just started to kiss him was a goddamn porn star. He brought his finger up to Ian’s mouth and told him to open up so that Ian could taste them both together. Ian was pretty sure he died. They went from fucking in a cooler at Kash and Grab to spending the night together and becoming much more intimate than he ever thought possible. They even cuddled up next to each other and talked about everything and nothing. They made so much progress that night, and Ian couldn't wait to see where it would lead them next._

*******

Ian felt Mandy poke his arm. “Did you drift off somewhere, Ian?”

"Shit...sorry, Mandy. I was just thinking about the night I stayed over. It was really special, ya know?"

Mandy smiled. "Yeah."

Ian continued on, mentioning that they had spent most of the night doing everything but having intercourse, and Mandy put her fingers in her ears jokingly. He tried to keep the rest of the story as clinical as possible, figuring she didn’t want the details. She thanked him for that. He told her that he was just about to get dressed and go to work when Mickey asked him to stay a little bit longer.

"We were on the couch and just getting started when the front door opened."

Mandy sat straight up. “Wait, what? Who was it?”

Ian could barely get the words out of his mouth. “Your father.”

Ian waited for Mandy to process what he just told her before proceeding. He needed a minute anyway.

“Fuck, Ian. What the fuck did he do?”

"Well, he came after me and pinned me to the couch, getting a couple of pretty good punches in before Mickey hopped on his back, telling him to get the fuck off of me."

“Mickey did _what_? He said that to my Dad? Holy fucking shit, Ian.”

“Yeah, I know. I tried to run to grab the crowbar in Mickey’s room, but he pulled out his gun and pointed it at me. He beat the shit out of him, right in front of me, and I couldn’t even help him. He hit him with his fists, then the butt of his gun, almost knocking him unconscious. I swear he could have killed him.” 

“OMG, Ian. _That_ is why Mickey got pistol-whipped? Oh my fucking God.”

“Yeah,” he replied. “It gets much worse, Mandy. Are you sure you want to hear the rest?”

“Yes. No. Fuck, Ian. I need to, but I don’t want to.”

“Your dad picked up his phone and made a call. He told them to send the Russian over. I figured that was it—we were dead men for sure. This guy was gonna come over and kill us, or at least make us wish we were dead. It felt like years as I looked over at Mickey, bloody and bruised on the couch. I just wanted to get up and hold him and kiss him, but I was forced to sit and watch helplessly. We had the most perfect night together, and here I was, looking at him in so much pain to the point of almost being unconscious. The only noise I could hear was your father breathing like he was going to explode. We heard a knock, and I had to stop myself from throwing up. That was when Svetlana walked in.”

Mandy got up from the bed and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Ian knocked softly and asked her if she was okay.

Mandy whispered. “I just need a minute, Ian.”

“Okay.”

*******

Mandy opened the door about 10 minutes later, her eyes red and swollen. She lay down right next to Ian and wrapped her arms around him tightly.

“I'm so sorry, Ian. So sorry. Oh my God. I had no idea. Everything makes sense now. _That_ is why Mickey was so distant with Yev at first. _That_ is why he didn’t go to the hospital. Fuck, Ian. I gave Mickey so much shit over that. So much shit, and I feel fucking terrible now. I had no idea that was how she got pregnant.”

“Your father made me watch while she fucked him.”

“Oh my God! Just when I thought this fucking nightmare story couldn’t get any worse. Jesus Christ.”

“Mickey was in so much pain, and he winced while she was riding him. I couldn’t look, but I could feel Mickey looking at me, and my heart broke a million times for him.”

Mandy started to sob. “I’ll stop, Mandy. You've heard enough.”

“Finish the story, Ian. I need to hear everything.”

“Mickey flipped her over on her back and fucked her until he came.”

They both sat in silence, allowing time for her to absorb what she just heard.

“Ian, how did you get out of the house? How did it end?”

“Once Mickey had finished, he rolled off of her and sat back down on the couch, not making eye contact with me. He just looked straight ahead. Svetlana got dressed and left. Terry got up and grabbed Mickey by the hair and pulled him into the bathroom. He threw him in the shower and turned on the water. He told him to wash the faggot off of him and slammed the door. By that time, I was dressed and running out the door before he could get to me. I ran until I got into my house and up to the bathroom. I threw up and showered, then called out of work sick.”

“OMG, Ian. Why didn’t you call me?”

“I did, Mandy. I asked you if you were still with Lip, and you said that you were heading home. I said 'Good. Go home, Mandy. Please just go home.'”

“Is that what that cryptic fucking message meant? Jesus Christ, Ian. I had no fucking idea. I thought you were fucking high or something.”

Mandy opened the bottles of red and white wine. She asked Ian which one he wanted to start with and he said white. They began to drink directly from the bottles.

Ian continued with the highlights that he felt were relevant. He told her that he went looking for Mickey, but the first time he wouldn’t talk to him. Then he found out he was getting married and went after him again.

“That wasn’t a good day, Mandy.”

“What happened?”

"I found him in one of the vacant buildings where we used to go to get high. He was sitting on the ground, drinking. I tried talking to him, but he didn’t say anything, so I grabbed his other bottle of booze and threw it on the floor. He yelled and walked out, so I went after him. That wasn’t a good idea, but I needed to understand why he was getting married.”

“Fuck, Ian.”

“I grabbed him and he pushed back off of me. He told me to get the fuck off of him, but I didn’t listen. I kept pressing him. I never thought about the trauma he'd just experienced. I never thought about how he was pistol-whipped and raped right in front of me, and what that must have done to him. And I just kept pushing him.”

Mandy told Ian that her father would wake Mickey up every morning with a punch to the face, or stomach, or he would rip him out of the bed and throw him against the wall.

"Every morning like clockwork, I would hear my brother being thrown across the room. God, I thought maybe he did something to deserve it...something bad. Not that anyone deserves that kind of abuse, but...”

“Now I feel even worse, Mandy. I asked him if he wanted to fag-bash me, if that would make him feel like a man. I told him that he loved me, and that he was gay. I asked him to admit it just once.”

Mandy looked at Ian in horror. “What, Mandy? What the fuck? What?”

“Ian. That's what my Dad would tell Mickey when he beat him. He told him to act like a man. Be a man. You’re not a man.”

“Fuck, Mandy. Ugh. I really fucked it up, didn’t I?”

Mandy excused herself to go to the bathroom and grabbed her phone out of her purse. She shot a quick text off to her brother. She had to talk to Mickey. She would get on a plane now if she could. She had to be with her brother.

*******

Ian asked Mandy to tell him about her life now. Mandy said she wanted to hear everything, but Ian insisted that she talk next. They would get back to him once she was done, but for now he needed a break. Mandy agreed and welcomed the topic change at the moment.

Mandy told Ian the story of her and Kenyatta. She knew moving was a bad idea, but she had to get away from Lip. She had to get out of Chicago, even if it was with Kenyatta. She could leave him somewhere else, but not in Chicago. Once they moved, Kenyatta made it pretty easy for her. He started fucking their neighbor, and Mandy took that chance to run. When he went out drinking with the whore, she went through the house and gathered anything that could help her escape. She took the wad of money that Kenyatta hid in his work boot that he thought she didn’t know about. She took his watch, his cell, anything that she could pawn or sell. She broke the whore's window and did the same thing. She took anything and everything of value, not that there was much. She found some cash in her dresser. She took a pin and poked holes through every condom she could find, then got the fuck out of there and headed west. Once she got there, she had enough money for gas, food, hotel stops, a security deposit, as well as first and last month's rent. She was left with about 2 grand while she searched for a job.

“Well good the fuck for you, Mandy. Good. That makes me feel so much fucking better. Damnit, I hated that fucker.”

Mandy smiled big and kept going. She got a job as a receptionist at a tattoo parlor. She loved it there; she met a lot of really cool people, and even made some really great friends. Unfortunately, it didn't pay the bills. She had a client that came in and repeatedly offered her a job as an escort. The first time Mandy heard it she was offended. The seventh time, she was intrigued. By the twentieth time, she accepted. That job did in fact pay the bills. She traveled everywhere, including dream locations she never imagined she would get to see in person, such as Europe, Hawaii, and Tahiti. She ate at the finest restaurants, and she learned about art from one of her clients. He loved taking her around to different museums and teaching her. There were times when he would hire her, pay for her room and just teach her, no strings attached. They became pretty close, and she really looked up to him.

He got her a job at an art gallery in L.A. She learned everything she could; she loved it so much and kept wanting to learn more. He eventually sent her to NYC to work with one of the top curators in the world, who taught her everything. They went to private auctions and met directly with the art dealers. She had personally seen some of the most important pieces of art with her own eyes. And, she was good at it. Really fucking good at it. After meeting with a very influential art dealer, she sold two of his paintings at a gala that night, like it was nothing. She sold $1.7M worth of art in one evening.

"Holy fucking shit, Mandy. You're a fucking queen. I'm so glad that all of the shit you have gone through turned into something really good. Fuck. I'm so fucking proud of you.”

Mandy couldn’t help but bubble over. She was proud of herself, too.

“So how many clients do you have, Mandy? Like how does this shit work?”

“Well, I work with many art galleries, and some artists personally. I have a pretty damn good reputation at this point, so they come to me."

“Where is your home base? Are you still in L.A.?”

Mandy hesitated for a minute. “Mexico, Ian.”


	4. Amnesia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Mickey waits at the airport for Mandy's flight to arrive, his mind wanders and reflects back to the time he transformed into Alek, the moment he made his first "friend," as well as to more painful memories of the ginger fuck he hated to love.

Mickey arrived at the airport early and took advantage of the time by checking his email and going through his text messages. He would be returning to work in a few days and needed to start preparing himself. He had been at his new job now for about 8 months, and though the schedule was grueling and the travel was relentless, he absolutely loved it. He had a great relationship with and mad respect for his employers, and his crew was the best of the best. This job made him feel pretty badass. It was fucking legit, and he didn’t have to worry about getting caught anymore, an added fucking bonus.

He sighed when he saw his schedule and accompanying agenda. It had hell week written all over it, but that might be a welcome distraction after the conversation he would be having shortly. He put his phone away and glanced up at the arrival board. Mandy’s flight was 15 minutes late. He made himself as comfortable as he could in an airport chair and couldn’t stop himself when his mind started to wander.

*******

_Mickey figured he was probably two hours away from his new home. He had plenty of time to think of a back story, and of how he would disguise himself until he was comfortable that the coast was clear. At least his name was locked down, which made him feel better and relax a bit. He knew he couldn’t roll into his new town looking like he did at the current moment. He needed to "de-Mickify," so to speak, and he figured the best way to do that would be by changing his hair color. He saw his sister dye her hair about a million fucking times, so how fucking hard could it be if she could do it?_

_He found a shopping center that looked halfway decent and checked out a couple of stores that looked promising. He didn’t have any luck until he reached the fourth and final store. He headed in and wandered around until he came to the hair color aisle._

_“What. The. Fuck?” he muttered to himself. “I thought this would be fucking easy. Hair is brown, blonde, red and black. What the fuck is ash blonde as compared to golden blonde? And what is a truffle? Isn’t that a candy? Mocha?! Jesus Christ...women are fucking nuts.”_

_He certainly couldn’t dye his hair even more black, and brown wouldn't have made that big of a fucking difference either._

_And he was pretty sure he wasn’t a redhead, because fuck red hair and anybody attached to it._

_“Well, I guess I'm going to find out if blondes do have more fun.” He grabbed a box of platinum hair color because that seemed to be the lightest, and if he was going to do this shit, he was fucking doing it all the way._

_Mickey headed toward the store front and set the hair color on the counter. The young girl spoke English, thank fucking God._

_“Is this for your girlfriend?”_

_“Uh, no. No, it's uh...it’s for me, okay?”_

_She looked at his hair and told him that he may need two boxes, and that the first one might get it to that color._

_“Oh, okay. Thanks. Let me run and get another one.”_

_He paid and headed out the door. Where in the holy fuck was he going to take care of this shit? He got in the car and read the directions. "Thirty fucking minutes...Jesus Christ. Women really are fucking crazy. And I might have to do this shit twice?! Fucking wonderful."_

*******

_Mickey figured he might as well bite the bullet and get a room for the evening. He didn’t sleep very well last night, and he could certainly use a night in a real bed and some relaxation. He could take care of this shit first, then go get his fucking life in some kind of fucking order._

_He found a place that looked pretty decent. It wasn't a five-star hotel, but it was nice enough. He rummaged through the duffel bag and grabbed the cash he found in one of the suitcases. He didn’t want to use the money that Ian gave him yet—that would force him to think about him. He had a couple hundred dollars, and these people were more than happy to accept a US dollar over a peso, no conversion necessary._

_He did worry about an ID, however. He had nothing other than the ID he used to cross the border, and he was not going to wear a dress ever the fuck again, no matter the circumstance._

_He rang the bell, and someone's grandmother came out to help him. She could barely hear, let alone speak English, so he was fucked either way. He held up one finger and pointed to himself to indicate one person. She smiled and handed him a form to fill out, which asked for his name and a method of payment. Fuck yeah. So far, so good._

_He held up the money, and Grandma was more than happy to show him how much the room was in US dollars. She handed him the key and pointed to the left. He parked the car in front of the room then unloaded everything so he could get a better look at what he had available, as well as get rid of what he didn’t need. He put everything in the closet for now, except for his gun, which he kept within arm's reach. He kicked off his shoes, took off his shirt then began reading the hair color directions._

_“Okay, Alek. You're about to become one magnificent blonde motherfucker.”_

_Following the directions carefully, he opened the developer bottle, poured the color tube contents into it, twisted the top of the bottle lid off to create a hole for the dye to come out, then shook the bottle vigorously. He took off the gloves and stood in front of the mirror. He applied the blonde color to his hair until every strand was soaked. He winced at the disgusting smell, and even had to step out of the bathroom a few times because of it. He realized after the fact that it probably would have been pretty smart to crack the fucking window before he passed out._

_"Yep, women are fucking legit crazy," he said again._

_He brought all of the suitcases out from the closet, then dumped all of their contents onto the bed. He then laid out the empty cases on the floor so he could refill them as he went through his new wardrobe._

_As he began to rifle through the suitcases, he started to think of all the weird shit he had acquired over the years. He began making a mental inventory of the useless shit he had kept: one dead fucking lizard...no wait...two dead fucking lizards, an alligator head, a voodoo mask that had reminded him of the movie Saw, a fucking stuffed rat, and a gazillion wig heads. He got them to scare the shit out of Iggy, which worked more than it fucking should have. He continued to mentally count all the pieces of useless shit he owned, trying to figure out why the fuck he didn’t throw them in the goddamn dumpster._

_It wasn’t until Ian moved in that..._

_No. Stop._

_Just as he started to go dark, his hair was doing the opposite, and it was burning like a motherfucker._

_"HOLY SHIT!"_

_He ran into the bathroom, put his head under the faucet and rinsed. He fumbled for the bottle of shampoo, lathered up as best as he could in the shitty sink and then rinsed again. He grabbed the towel and began to dry his hair. He was wondering how he would look as a blonde, and when he looked in the mirror, he screamed out loud. Really fucking loud._

_“WHAT IN THE EVER-LOVING FUCK DID I JUST DO?!”_

_He grabbed the box and read the directions again, doing a mental recap. He followed every fucking direction to the T, and yet somehow he ended up looking like the bastard child of Casper the friendly ghost and fucking Ronald McDonald. And he wasn’t lovin’ it. He sat on the toilet and tried to figure out how to fix this mess without shaving his head bald. He was trying to fly under the radar, but instead he was going to roll in looking like Bozo the fucking clown. He remembered that he had another box and ripped that shit open to try to fix the mess he had going on._

_As round two started to process, he went back to going through the suitcases. He found a nice mix of clothes from casual to dressy. He figured the owners were going on vacation, based on the contents of the bags. He also noticed that these were all men's clothes. It then struck him that based on the air freshener in the car, that made perfect fucking sense. He organized the suitcases and repacked them, leaving out what he would wear the next morning. He put both suitcases back in the closet then opened the duffel bag. He knew what he put in the bag and what to expect when he opened it, so he mentally prepared himself._

_He laid the picture on the bed, face side up but out of his direct line of sight. He was not ready to look at the back. He began going through the duffel bag in the same manner as the suitcases. Man these fuckers were metro, and he was not complaining. He never found anything this nice, even when he was robbing people. He kept out what he would need and put everything else away. His head began to burn again, but this time he grabbed the good shampoo and conditioner (never used that shit before in his life, but why the fuck not) and some fancy ass body wash. He grabbed the razor and shaving cream. This time, he got in the shower._

_He rinsed his hair under the warm water and opened the shampoo lid. This shit smelled fucking amazing. He rinsed twice to be safe. He then used the conditioner which smelled equally as good, and let that sit while he washed himself with the shower gel. He felt pretty fucking fancy at the moment. Warm, clean, and smelling like a million fucking bucks. He finished up and stepped out to shave, forgetting about his hair._

_He sat the razor down on the sink, looked at himself in the mirror and just stood there. He couldn’t fucking believe what he was seeing. He was blonde, and he looked amazing. Really fucking amazing. He took himself in for a long time. He barely recognized himself, so he felt pretty fucking confident that he could run naked through the police station and they wouldn’t know he was the former Mickey Milkovich._

_"Goddamn, Alek. Nice to meet you."_

_Mickey shaved and got dressed. He walked past every mirror in the shitty room to catch a glimpse of himself, and from every possible fucking angle. He was feeling himself pretty hard when he started to hear his stomach rumble, and felt it too. He needed to eat, and it needed to be something more than a fucking Snickers bar or Slim Jim._

_He felt much better going out in public, and he found a food place right across the street. He walked in and looked at the menu, and he had no idea what the fuck he was reading. The woman behind the counter noticed and handed him a menu in English, thank fucking God. He picked out two entrees and a large drink. He opted to eat there, but faced the hotel to keep an eye on his room._

_It was starting to get dark, and he knew he needed to get a good night's sleep if he wanted to make it to his new town early the next morning. That would give him even more comfort. Once finished, he headed back and fell into bed. He was pretty sure he was asleep before his head even hit the pillow._

_He woke up the next morning feeling pretty damn good—no headache, not tired, not worried about getting caught. Today was a much better day, and he hoped this trend would continue. He checked the clock and it was only 8am. He had about 12 hours of sleep under his belt, and that was fine with him. He wanted to get on the road by 9am so he wouldn’t have to rush._

_He finally rolled out of bed to take a piss. He packed up all of his metro shit, because Alek was one metro motherfucker, he had decided. He gathered all of his shit except for the duffel bag and packed up the car. He buried his gun deep in the duffel bag after wrapping it up well. He still had about 30 minutes before he had to leave, and he wanted to watch a little bit of news before he left, just in case._

_He lay on the bed flipping through news channels and hoping he would not see his face flash across the screen. So far, so good. He was comfortable that his name had not made it over the border, and so he went and took a piss one more time before taking off._

_He grabbed the pillows that were strewn across the bed and placed them back up by the headboard. He didn’t use the covers, so he figured he might as well make the bed. As he threw the last pillow up to the top of the bed, there he was, staring up at him. His stomach started to turn, and he felt like he was going to be sick. After sitting there trying to regain his wits, he decided that he wanted to get it over with before he got to his new town—he would read what Ian had written on the back of the picture so that he could have that memory here, not where he would soon be every day._

_He flipped over the picture._

_Well, fuck._

_He lay back down and pulled the covers over himself. He knew he would be spending another night here, because he couldn’t walk across the floor, let alone drive._

_Mickey cried himself back to sleep. Sleep hurt less than being awake._

*******

_Mickey heard a pounding at the door that shocked him awake. The maid was there to clean the room because he had not let them know he was staying another night. He shook his head “no” to the maid and made his way to the front desk to pay for a second night. He walked over to get food again, but opted to eat in the room this time._

_Every part of Mickey hurt. Not in the way he was used to being hurt—that way was better than what he was experiencing right now. He ached everywhere. Nothing was safe from the pain of Ian._

_He walked out to the car, rifled through the suitcases in the trunk and grabbed new clothes for tomorrow. The duffel bag was in his room, so he had everything else he needed...except for a fucking Snickers bar, and he needed something sweet._

_He walked to the front desk with his empty pack of smokes and pointed at them. The old lady pointed to the back of the hotel. Mickey made the international signal for walking, and she nodded yes. He was relieved to find a small store just across the street behind the hotel. He grabbed a couple of things: bottled water, aspirin, another few packs of smokes, and more fucking Snickers bars._

_As he was rounding the building, he saw something that scared the shit out of him. He swore he jumped 5 feet off the ground_.

_"Fuuuuuckkkk!!! Mexican rats are fucking huge! Why didn’t I know this?! I would have went to fucking Canada instead!"_

_The rat started walking towards Mickey, and he screamed like a fucking girl. He was not proud. As the rat moved toward him, he moved backwards. Mickey was finally under a light post and could get a better look at this fucking thing—not that he wanted to, but at least he would know what he was up against._

_"What the fuck?" Mickey stopped and let the rat get closer. The rat was wagging his tail? Well, at least these little fuckers are friendly, he thought. How had he not seen this shit on National Geographic or something? Why weren’t people talking about this rat situation down in Mexico? Mickey let the rat get closer to him, but he was still pretty cautious because he knew nothing about the Mexican rat._

_The longer he stared at this thing, the more fucking confused he was. It must have been a subspecies or something. Maybe nobody knew about the Mexican rat and he was the first one to see it? He planned on telling everyone he saw about the Mexican rat. They needed to know._

_Just then, the rat let out a bark, and Mickey just about shit his pants right there. The rat was a very un-rat like color, too. What the fuck is this thing? Mickey felt pretty safe by now, considering the rat seemed to be pretty fucking friendly. Mickey backed away very slowly then stepped around it with caution, just in case, then started to walk backwards to his room. _  
__

__"What the fuck?!" Mickey was being chased by the rat, and he started to run like a fucking girl. By the time he reached his door, the rat was hot on his tail. Fast little fuckers, Mickey thought. He was trying to unlock his door as fast as he could when he heard howling laughter coming from a couple of doors down._ _

_He looked down the hall and was going to warn them, but they seemed to think the situation was pretty fucking hilarious. Fuck them, he thought. I ain’t telling them shit._

_He couldn’t get his key in the door. The couple was pointing now; the rat was behind him, wasn’t it? He turned slowly to face the rat then stood there, frozen._

_The couple next door continued to laugh but even harder now, and louder. The door directly next to his opened, and the woman was looking at him like he was crazier than he actually was. A kid peaked out around her and ran out the door towards the rat._

_Why was everyone so fucking calm? The little girl sat right on the ground and started petting it. He raised his eyebrows to his hairline and waited for the woman to get the child out of harm's way like she was fucking nuts. She stepped outside, touched Mickey on the arm gently and said, “It’s a fucking Chihuahua, you gringo.”_

_After getting over feeling like a total idiot and first-class pussy, he got closer and saw the little puppy face and nose. Shit, it's...cute. The little ears are fucking adorable. OMG, the fucking paws. It looks like a stuffed fucking animal, Mickey thought._

_T _he mother called the little girl back into the room, and the couple finally closed the door behind them. It was just Mickey and this little ball of fur, and he was just fine with that situation.__

_Mickey gently scooped up the little ball of fur and headed toward the front desk. He pointed at the dog, and the old woman gave him the international sign for "shoo." He walked over to the restaurant and received the international sign for "no." Fuck. He couldn’t leave this little thing out here by herself—his heart wouldn’t let him._

_He unlocked his door and quickly filled a glass with water. He also needed to find something for her to eat. He grabbed her up and walked back to the store behind the hotel. He pointed at the dog, and got the international signal for "over there." He grabbed a few cans and a little bag of dog food and headed back to his room._

_He hand-fed her some kibble and scooped some wet food onto a paper plate. When she was full, he put her up on the bed after laying out a towel. He wanted to get a better look at her, as well as make sure she was not hurt anywhere. She looked fine. Upon inspection, he determined that she was mostly a reddish color, with little white patches of fur._

_Of course she was red._

_Mickey had a decent night's sleep and woke up next to his new friend, who was curled up on the pillow next to his head. He smiled and cuddled her for a while, then decided to get on the road. Mickey packed up everything in the room, put Ian’s picture back in the duffel bag and grabbed his new girl._

_"Let’s go home, Fire Crotch," he said, as he headed toward the ocean._

* * *

He snapped out of it quickly when he saw Mandy heading toward him looking very upset. He started to walk toward her to close the distance, because he could hardly wait much longer. When he reached Mandy, she threw her arms around him like he was coming back from war. She held on and cried, repeating _I'm so sorry_ over and over again. Mickey thought he was going to be sick.


	5. Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mickey celebrates completing his Divemaster training to become a certified diver, which in turn earns him a promotion at Claude's shop. A couple days later, Claude needs Mickey to head to Mexico City to pick up the man who would be filling Mickey's old position, which leads to a series of unusual, frightening, yet potentially life-changing events.
> 
> NOTE: This entire chapter occurs in the past, and goes a little over 8 months back in time.

**_8+_ ** **_months ago_ **

The entire boat exploded in applause as he stepped onto the ladder to pull his fins off.Mickey had just successfully completed his Divemaster training and could now become certified.He had worked his ass off to get here. He would now be able to lead recreational dives by himself, and that title also came with a pay raise as well as a pretty good amount of pride.When he rid himself of his gear, he was surrounded by people who genuinely cared about him.He was hugged, pat on the ass several times, fist bumped, and Claude even threw one arm around him and kissed his forehead before launching into a speech.

“My dear Alek, I am so very proud of you.When you first started here with us, I knew zat you were someone who faced many challenges in your life, quite like myself...but you wanted to be rid of zem and leave zem behind.You knew zat your challenges, if you let zem, could become your greatest allies.Mountains can crush or raise you, depending on which side of the mountain you choose to stand.You refused to be a victim of your past, but you were never too quick to denounce your sufferings. Ze difficult road you were called to walk was, in fact, your path to success.Remember: in ze end, it is not ze destination, but ze manner in which you walk (or swim) zat reveals who you are.Swim well, and always remember zat you are important. And zat we, your swim family, love you. Congratulations!”

He didn’t even try to fight back the tears when he hugged Claude back and whispered a broken “thank you” in his ear.Knowing how Mickey felt about “feelings,” Claude made an attempt to quickly change the mood.

"I just have one last question for you, son. So, tell me true. Are you for Scuba?”

With that, the mood was changed.The music was turned back up, and the rum punch started flowing.

 _Son_. 

He really did look at Claude like the father he always wanted.He wondered how different his life would have been if that had been the case, but he didn’t dwell because he was here now, and for that he was more thankful and full of pride that he had ever been in his life. 

*******  

A couple days later, Mickey and Claude were in the shop unloading a new shipment with the TV playing in the background, as it always was.Mickey never really paid much attention to what was going on, and he didn’t understand half of the shit they were saying anyways, but one particular sight did catch his eye.He could tell it was a demonstration in Mexico City with posters, chanting, and pride flags flying. 

He had learned that Mexico was a bit more progressive than the US in their LGBT rights; however, since the President announced that same-sex couples could be married, the opposition became very vocal on the subject.Politicians were being forced to choose a side, and they were being bombarded with questions during appearances and interviews. 

The legal definition of marriage had been changed to encompass same-sex couples, and laws that restricted this union were deemed unconstitutional. They were also given adoption rights.This ruling ordered every single judge in the country to rule in favor of same-sex couples seeking marriage and/or adoption. 

Claude looked up at the screen and hollered over to Mickey.“Hey kid, zat reminds me…I need you to make a quick trip to Mexico City with Javier.I need to backfill your old job, and Javier asked me to hire his cousin.He has no other way here and has been through ze ringer. I wanna give ze kid a chance.”

This made Mickey feel a little uneasy since he would have to leave his comfort zone here in Acapulco and head into an unknown city.But this was for Claude, and for him, he would have crossed the border all over again to help him.He quickly agreed and resumed with the task at hand. 

Claude handed Mickey and Javier a cooler which he had packed with snacks, sandwiches and bottled water.He gave Mickey money for gas and a print-out of directions in both Spanish and English.Mickey sometimes couldn’t believe the kindness he was shown by Claude.He was a good man, and he made Mickey want to be a better man, too.

** ***  **

The conversation was a bit difficult to say the least during the drive to Mexico City.Javier spoke very little English, and Mickey spoke very little Spanish. They both knew enough to not make it awkward, though, and they had always gotten along and liked each other.  

They were about 10 minutes away from Casa de la Abuela on Calle Puente where they would be picking up Mauricio.They found parking out front and headed inside.Mauricio had been sitting at a table talking to a worker when they walked in.He jumped up when he saw Javier, and quickly headed towards them to grab his cousin and thank him over and over.Mickey could at least understand that conversation.To his surprise, Mauricio spoke English pretty well, and he seemed like a nice enough kid.They decided to eat before heading back since they only had a few snacks left, and it was a 4-hour drive. 

Mickey excused himself to head outside for a much needed smoke.He was feeling antsy after sitting for what seemed like forever, and he needed to stretch his legs before they headed back.Mickey was looking around as he always was, hyper-aware of his surroundings.That was a part of his upbringing, and a skill that had always served him well.He noticed a small van with no windows on the opposite side of the street, about 5 car lengths down.The windows in the back were tinted, which he found a little strange since the writing on the van represented a plumbing company.He kept his eye on the vehicle and noticed two men wearing black heading over to it and hopping inside. 

Mickey knew from experience that something was definitely off since he was used to being the man inside of the van.He lit up his second cigarette and positioned himself behind a tree so that he was less visible to the men.Just then, he noticed that the sidewalk was becoming busy with people with their kids in tow. There were young kids and older kids alike, and they were all wearing uniforms. School uniforms.He saw the words “Colegio Madrid A.C.” stitched on one of the backpacks, and his stomach sank.He made his way across the street so that he was on the same side as the van. He got as close as he could without being noticed, but saw that both passengers were laser-focused on the kids walking across the street.  

Mickey felt around in his back pocket to make sure his pocket knife was there, just in case he needed it.Just then, a black town car pulled up to the opposite side of the street. An older man exited and walked over to the passenger door on the side of the sidewalk and opened it.Everything else happened so quickly, almost in a blur.

The two men hopped out of the van, leaving the doors wide open. They ran across the street and grabbed a little girl who was heading over to the town car.One man picked her up and the other wielded a gun, hollering loudly as they backed up toward the van.The man holding the girl seemed to be unarmed.As he rounded the van to get in the passenger side with the girl, Mickey sprung forward and planted his knife firmly in the man's upper shoulder. He pulled down as hard as he could on the blade to maximize the pain and damage so that he could get his hands on the kid.It worked.The man fell backwards, and Mickey took the child and ran down the street as fast as he could.The van took off, leaving the wounded man lying on the sidewalk.Mickey cautiously looked around the corner to see if they were still in danger, and the man on the sidewalk became surrounded by men who where holding him down. 

Mickey continued holding the child who was now hugging him so tightly he thought he might lose blood circulation.He crossed the street to bring her back to the driver. He was heading toward the growing crowd when he passed Javier and Mauricio, who were now standing outside of the restaurant. He asked Mauricio to come with him so he could translate, which he was sure he would need.As Mickey started to approach, people started clapping, patted him on the back, and there were women looking at him through teary eyes. The old man who was driving the car looked at him like he was his long lost love.Mickey handed the child over to the old man, who took her in his arms and hugged her tightly.The little girl was not crying—Mickey supposed she was in shock.She was scared, sure, but he was amazed that everyone was crying but her. _Strong little shit_ , he thought. 

Mickey was explaining to Mauricio what happened, and he quickly translated it to the crowd.He heard sirens off in the distance; he started to sweat and his stomach churned.A car pulled up with flags on each side of the windows, looking very official, and a man frantically hopped out and ran to grab the child.A woman jumped out of the other side in a flash and followed him over to the girl.They had to be the parents as they were both holding her tightly with tears in their eyes, while the driver was talking to them a mile a minute. Mickey assumed he was recapping the day's events to them.

Mickey wanted to get the hell out of dodge.He was happy the child was safe, and he started to walk away before the police got there.

*******

The father of the girl hollered out to Mickey. “Stop.Stop, please.” 

Mickey froze, but slowly turned around to face the man.He was tall—very tall.He fit the tall, dark and handsome bill to a T. He had olive skin, brown eyes and a gorgeous head of wavy hair.He wore a very nice suit and had a very large watch on, which just looked expensive.He had a pin on his lapel of the Mexican flag, and he spoke perfect English. 

“I want to thank you for what you did today.You saved my daughter's life, and for that I will be forever in your debt.You are a very brave man.Very brave.I don’t know how I can begin to repay you for what you did to help my…my little girl." The man’s voice was shaky, and his face looked like a combination of hysteria and relief.

Mickey did not like nor was he interested in all the attention, but he couldn’t help but be thankful that he was where he was today. “You’re welcome” is all he could manage to get out.Just then, about 5 police cars pulled up and blocked the entire street.Mickey turned white.He needed to get the hell out of there, and quickly.He had an ID, but of course it was fake.He didn’t want to be on the news and risk being recognized, even though he was a blonde now.The man looking at him seemed to sense Mickey’s discomfort. 

The police ran toward the man and Mickey, and they seemed to be apologizing profusely from what he could tell.He heard a lot of “sirs,” and then he heard one word that made him a little sick to his stomach: _Senator_.With that, Mickey almost lost his footing after going weak in his knees.The senator took notice and grabbed Mickey by his arm to pull him away from the barrage of people.He asked him if they could speak in private, and Mickey just nodded.He steered Mickey’s body over to his car.Mickey got in first, and the man shut the door behind him. 

“My name is Pablo. I am a politician for the Ecologist Green Party, and the President of the Senate."He stopped talking to let Mickey absorb that information for a minute.Mickey nodded, and Pablo went on. "My party is strongly opposed to the recent LGBT ruling; however, I am not, nor have I ever been, silent about it.Neither has my wife.She is a politician as well, and we support this ruling very much, and very publicly. We 100% support the LGBT community.We have received threats, but never thought that they would target our daughter.”

Mickey’s eyebrows shot up. "Is that the reason they tried to..." He stopped.He didn’t feel right saying the word “kidnap” in this moment, and luckily he didn’t have to either.Pablo just nodded.The next thing that came out of Mickey's mouth seemed to shock them both.

“Well, I'm gay, and I am happy that there are people like you who support this issue.I grew up with a father who almost killed me for being gay, and I am sorry that you had to go through this because of your support for something that shouldn’t even be an issue.Loving someone shouldn’t be an issue at all, but there is so much hate.There are other issues that are far more important that people should focus on.”

Mickey wasn’t sure when he became an out and proud gay man, but if he had to pick the exact moment, this would be the one.

Pablo seemed to be surprised by Mickey’s outburst.He simply said that they were on the same page.He continued with asking Mickey how he could repay the debt.Mickey once again wanted to dart, but for some reason, he felt comfortable enough with this man, and he wasn’t sure why. 

He simply said that there was no need to thank him—that he was happy that he was where he was today, and that he's thankful the man’s daughter is safe.Pablo shook his head no, and he told Mickey he would not be leaving without something.He asked Mickey if he wanted to speak to the press, who were arriving in droves.Mickey must have had fear in his eyes as he shook his head no. 

Pablo asked Mickey his name, and Mickey gave it to him.He also took out his ID and handed it to him.Pablo studied Mickey's ID, looked back up and said “Funny, you don’t look like an Alek. Is there anything you want to tell me?” Mickey's heart sank, and he was quickly becoming nauseous.

“Not really, but I guess I don’t have a choice.”

Pablo responded. ”Today you do have a choice, but I want you to come with me.”

“I have to get going, though.I have to drive my coworkers back home.”

”Can they not drive themselves?I can arrange comfortable transportation back home for you.Where is home?”

“Acapulco.”

“My wife and I are headed there tomorrow, as a matter of fact.You can travel on our plane with us.” 

He felt like he didn’t have a choice, because this man did not look like he was one to take no for an answer.He shot off a quick text to Javier, and got a response back almost immediately.

 _U ok?_  

_Yes, it's okay. Go._

Mickey nodded at Pablo, and with that, Pablo asked the driver if his wife and daughter were in the other car that had arrived with his security crew. The driver said “si, sir” in response.

Pablo nodded. “Vamos.Mi casa.”

The car took off, and Mickey thought about going back to prison.Back to the US.He did a good thing today, but he could end up back in jail. _Fucked for life.I guess I always will be_ , he thought.There was no way he would get out of this one once Pablo found out about Mickey’s past, because of course he would. 

Pablo, who had been looking out the window, glanced over at Mickey, and he seemed to sense his fear. 

He just smiled at him, turned his head and continued to look out the window.


	6. Do You Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We bounce back to the night before at the hotel with Ian and Mandy—Ian finally gets the balls to ask Mandy about Mickey, but she won't tell him anything until he finishes telling his side of their story. He proceeds to tell her a lot more about their relationship, but even more so about his mental state after Mickey was arrested, and how he was hospitalized. We then flash back to when Ian was released from the hospital, and the events that followed.
> 
> We then make one last flashback to Mickey's journey to Acapulco—he leaves the hotel and is back on the road with his new furry friend in tote, and his mind begins to wander as he drives. We learn a lot about Mickey's past from childhood on, and how it made an impact on the man he would become. 
> 
> Finally, we're back at the hotel with Ian and Mandy, where Ian wraps up his side of the story. 
> 
> NOTE: From here on out, the majority of the story will be in present time, but with some reflections every so often. 
> 
> Strap in, folks...this story's about to get wild :)

**_The night before, back at the hotel_ **

Ian stepped out onto the balcony for some fresh air and a smoke. He had to. His heart was in his stomach—just hearing Mandy say Mexico made his blood run cold. It seemed like the perfect time to just ask the fucking question and get it over with. He had never been so scared of anything in his life as he was at that moment. 

“Have you talked to Mickey?”

Mandy hesitated. “Yeah.”

 _How much should I tell him? Would Mickey strap me with weights and kick me off the back of the dive boat?_  

She watched Ian light a second cigarette and breathed a sigh of relief. She wanted to hear the rest of Ian’s story before she gave him too much information.

_Shit. Why did I blurt it out like that before getting all of the details I needed? Fuck._

Ian walked slowly back into the room with a sick look on his face.

“Sit, Ian. I promise I'll tell you what I know about Mickey, but I want you to finish your story first, okay?” Ian shook his head and situated himself back on the bed like he was before.

He told Mandy about what happened in the Army.

About what Mickey said before she walked in on them on his wedding day.

About what Mickey said to him at Yev's party. _Ian, what you and I have makes me free. Not what these assholes know._

“My brother said that? Wow, Ian. I knew he loved you, and I knew it was a lot, but I didn’t quite grasp the magnitude of your relationship.”

He told her about when Mickey came out, about how brave he was and how proud he was of him. He told her about Terry and how he reacted, about pulling him off Mickey and getting some shots in, and about the police officer that had taken Mickey and held him against the car. How the officer told Mickey he was free to go and why.

"The cop was gay. It was like he had a guardian angel, Mandy."

He told her about when they went home, they showered together and washed the blood off of each other, and about how intimate that night was for both of them. The sex was not dirty or rough. It was beautiful and soft.

They loved each other that night, and they said it too. They _both_ said it. 

 _I love you_.

They were hopeful—so hopeful to start their new life together. Mickey was finally free, and Ian couldn’t have been happier than he was at that moment.

Mandy was there for the rest of the mess, so he didn't see the need to rehash that part, but he told her to ask him anything so he could explain to her what he was feeling at the time while he was not medicated.

And she did. She asked a lot of questions, and Ian answered each one with complete honesty. They talked in detail about the Yevgeny incident.

About his frame of mind.

About why he left.

About what he told Mickey that set the entire shit storm into motion.

Ian shook his head. "If Mickey would have said that to me and I was medicated properly, I would have had the exact same fucking reaction that he had towards me. Here he was taking care of me, making sure I was safe, had a place to live, trusted me with his child, and I fucked up beyond words."

He told Mandy about his sex drive—how he got hand jobs and blow jobs to quell his appetite, and that he never fucked or kissed anyone while he was with Mickey until the day he made the porno.

The porno took Mandy by surprise. “You did what? Ian. Fuck. Have you been tested?”

“Yes, I was tested.”

He told her about being committed, about how he thought he had lost Mickey, and how hopeless he felt. How broken he felt.

He told her about Mickey coming in and telling him that he was sorry he was late. How Mickey held him all night. How he felt the weight of the world disappear when Mickey held him, and how that was the only place he ever felt safe and loved.

Mandy could see the pain in Ian’s face. Her heart ached for him. Her heart ached for her brother. They still loved each other. But she was not going to do anything to set any plans into motion until she heard everything.

He told her how when he came back from the psych ward, he had picked up right where he left off—the delusions, the medication, everything. How Mickey had even taken the time to research all of his medicine. Mickey spent days in the library reading about the disease. He even went to the support meetings, even when Ian didn’t go.

He was taking his meds, Mickey made sure of that, but he felt numb all of the time. He felt nothing. He knew he loved Mickey from memory. He knew that he loved his family. He knew these things, but he couldn’t feel them. He didn’t feel pain, love, passion, joy, excitement. Everything was gone, and only a shell remained.

He told Mandy about how he held his hand on the grill just to feel something. Any fucking thing other than numbness.

She asked a lot more questions, and Ian answered every one.

He told her about the ballpark, crying as he did so. There was no way around that, and he didn’t even try to fight it. They were supposed to have their first real date. Ian felt like himself, too. He was so fucking happy when he felt all of it rush back into him, like blood was filling his body again. He loved Mickey. He fucking loved Mickey more than anything else in the world. He wanted to feel that way for the rest of his life. No numbness, only love. He loved Mickey Milkovich.

But then everything changed that night.

Mandy cried with Ian when he told her about the arrest, and how he had called his mother because he saw the look on everyone's face around the table the day they came to speak with the council. He knew with 100% certainty at that moment that his disease was every bit as bad as Monica. When he told Mandy what Monica told him through the glass, she couldn’t help but think that was what started Ian down the path of leaving Mickey.

She cringed through the Monica story. She understood how Ian felt at the time, but fuck was it hard to hear. Ian was doing more harm to the people he loved, and he didn’t want to do that to Mickey. He was going to go off his meds and just fucking kill himself slowly.

He cried the entire ride back to Chicago. His eyes burned and were swollen. He had to give up the person he loved most in the world. He had to appear as if he didn’t care that his heart was being ripped from his chest. It was better for Mickey this way. Well, he thought it would be in the long run anyway.

He couldn’t repeat the conversation he had with Mickey in his front yard. Mandy already knew anyway; she was more interested in the next series of events. That is the information she needed.

The arrest.

_If Ian loved Mickey, how the fuck could he not show one fucking ounce of care for him when he was being chased by Sammi or the fucking Chicago PD?_

Ian explained how he thought that Mickey would outrun the cops, or spend a couple days max in prison for drugging his evil bitch sister. He had no fucking idea what would actually happen to him, because cops and trouble were nothing out of the ordinary for either of them. He had no fucking clue what would happen next. When he found out what the charges were, he thought he would die from shock and disbelief. He may have been back on his meds, but he felt it all that time. Pain. Heartache. It was like touching that grill again. His heart was fucking shattered. He resolved himself to feeling like that for the rest of his life. He deserved to feel the pain. He didn’t deserve Mickey. Mickey was better without Ian continually fucking up his life, because that was all he did.

He told her he had to be hospitalized for weeks. He was medicated and strapped to a bed for most of that time, but it didn’t matter; he didn’t care about anything else, and he was pretty sure he wouldn’t ever again.

Mandy hadn’t smoked a cigarette in years, but that didn’t stop her from asking Ian for one. She stepped out onto the balcony and started to devise a plan. She was fucking exhausted, but she would not have gone to sleep even with a gun to her head. She had to help them either find their way back to each other, or move on.

* * *

_When Ian was finally released from the hospital, he had new medication and a standing appointment with the psychiatrist. He completely changed his regimen, and he started feeling a little healthier by the time he was able to leave. It was good talking to people who had the same disease as him, aside from Monica. He had a doctor he could talk to who listened without judgment._

_He knew Mickey's trial was over when he left, but nobody would tell him the sentence. They wanted to wait until they knew his medication was working properly._

_When Ian got home, everyone was there waiting. They made him his favorite meal and a cake, and although nobody called it a party, it kind of felt like that was what they were trying to do. Ian picked at his food at best._

_After dinner, Ian showered and changed into some sweats. He had just sat down on his bed when Lip came in the room and shut the door behind him. Lip sat on the bed next to Ian and wrapped one arm around him tight._

_“Are you feeling better, bro? Is the new medication okay? Any side effects? Do you need anything?”_

_Lip continued on nervously, and Ian knew why. His heart was in his throat, and his hands were shaking. His insides felt like they were shaking, too. He knew the time had come to be told what he didn’t want to hear. It was bad; he knew that by the way everyone treated him tonight._

_"Jesus fucking Christ, Lip. Just tell me."_

_Lip looked at Ian and said it._

_“Fifteen years, Ian.”_

_Ian felt like the air was knocked out of his lungs. He started to hyperventilate._

_"What the fuck, Lip? Fifteen fucking years in prison?! How is that even possible? He didn’t fucking kill her! How…how did this happen? Wait, what the fuck did Sammi get? She was the one shooting at Mickey. How did they not think she was crazy? Why did they believe Sammi?"_

_Ian asked a lot of questions but didn’t pause for Lip to answer one before the next one left his mouth._

_Lip waited for Ian to fully process what he just told him. He listened to each question and made a mental note before Ian shot out another. Once Ian finally stopped asking, he looked at his brother with tears streaming down his face. Lip pulled him in close and held him, rubbing his head until he ran out of tears._

_Lip explained that when Mickey was first arrested, they all thought he would get a couple years at best. The attempted murder charge was not going to stick, they all knew that. Sammi was batshit crazy. She was charged before Mickey, and was sentenced to 20 years for attempted murder._

_While Mickey was awaiting trial, word had made its way to Terry that Mickey had been arrested. Terry tried to cop a plea deal and pin all of his illegal activity on his son. He told the cops where to look to find the drugs that were hidden in the house, where to find the storage bin with the firearms, and any other detailed information to implicate him. Mickey knew he was fucked. He knew why Terry did it, too. Mickey fought the charges as best as he could, but there was evidence with his DNA._

_One saving grace was that Terry and Mickey were not in the same prison, but that did not stop the next chain of events. Terry was found beaten bloody in his cell, and he was unconscious for weeks. When Terry woke and started to heal, he found one word carved into his chest: faggot. Terry killed himself that day._

_It took Ian a few days before he could get out of bed. He wanted to see Mickey, but he was petrified, too. He just lost the love of his life, and the floor had been ripped out from under him. He finally got up the courage to see him and had Lip bring him in for a visit. Ian was so nervous that they had to stop a few times for him to get sick._

_They arrived at the prison and went through the check-in process. They were escorted into the room, and Lip sat on the bench against the wall while Ian sat in the chair in front of Mickey. Ian wasn't able to get a word out during that visit. He just cried, and he could barely make eye contact._

_The second visit, he looked up. He saw Mickey on the other side of the glass; he lost it, and nothing or no one could console him. Mickey had his hand on the glass, and Ian pressed his against Mickey’s. While Ian cried, Mickey talked to him softly over the phone, trying to make him feel better. Of course Mickey was the one to console Ian. It was as if they were both on the other side of the glass._

_The visit was over before Ian knew it, and he cried even harder when Mickey finally had to leave the room. Ian sat in the chair until no more tears were able to form. Lip had to help him back to the car. Ian stayed in bed until the following week when it was time to go see Mickey again. This continued for weeks—Ian crying, Mickey consoling. He was finally able to string a sentence together by the third month._

_Mickey tried to make Ian feel better by telling him his sentence would be much shorter, and that he could possibly be released even earlier with good behavior. It didn’t help. One year, fifteen years—he didn’t want to be apart from Mickey for any length of time._

_Ian wished he was still on his old meds so that he wouldn't be able to feel anything. The new medication worked a little too well. He felt every ache—the pain in his chest that made its way to his fingertips and down to his toes. He hurt everywhere. Not physical pain, but heartbreak pain that he didn’t even know existed. His blood would run cold when he thought about it for too long. He always thought that was just a saying, until it actually happened._

_Ian continued to see Mickey in prison for months and months. During this time, he didn’t do anything but sleep and wait for the next visit._

_The final visit started with Ian noticing that Mickey had been crying. That hurt Ian more than any physical pain he had ever experienced. Ian couldn’t bear it anymore; he made sure to tell Mickey that he loved him. He thanked him over and over again for everything that he had done to help him. He told Mickey that he saved his life more than once. Mickey just cried, and pleaded with Ian to stop. He was worried that Ian was going to do something to hurt himself._

_Mickey signaled to Lip. At the end of the visit, Ian stood and let Mickey talk to him. As they spoke, Ian stared at Mickey, wanting to take in every little detail. His beautiful blue eyes. His milky white skin. The sweetness in his face that had developed over the years. The hardness was gone. Mickey Milkovich was the fucking eighth wonder of the world. His world._

_Mickey told Lip that he was worried about Ian, and he made him promise to keep an eye on him. Lip promised. When they got home, Ian flushed his medication down the toilet. He still had the old shit that made him numb, and that sounded fucking fabulous right now. He needed to be numb. He needed to forget._

_He only saw Mickey one more time, and that was only because Svetlana paid him to go. That’s what he told himself anyway, and told Mickey. Ian was numb and going through the motions, so he agreed to go._

_He held Yevy while Svetlana and Mickey spoke. Ian caught Mickey looking at him, and it made him hurt again. He didn’t know that he could have pain when he was on these meds, but apparently they were Mickey-proof. He stopped taking all of his meds that day and didn’t visit Mickey again._

* * *

_Mickey packed up the car and made a bed for Fire Crotch in the front seat next to him. He studied the map once more, and it looked like it would be straightforward enough. All he wanted was to find the town, find a place, find a job, and start his life over. He pulled out of the hotel parking lot, and they were on their way._

_As Mickey was driving, his mind started to wander. He didn’t want to think about Ian. He just wanted to get where he was going, and he would deal with his pain later._

_He started to think about his mother. Miriam was her name, but everyone called her Mimi. Mickey’s mother was only 16 when she became pregnant with her first child. She married Terry before she gave birth. Mimi had told Mickey that when she first met Terry, he was working at the plant. He was not involved in any criminal activities, and although he liked to drink, that was the extent of his shenanigans. Mickey didn’t know if that was true, or just something his mother told him to make him feel better._

_Mickey adored his mother, and he knew he was her favorite, though she would never say that out loud. He was her little sleepy face with beautiful ocean eyes, as she used to call him every night before bed. She would bring Mickey everywhere, and Mickey loved being with her. They would go to the grocery store, she would bring him to work at the laundromat, and to church every Sunday. Mickey didn’t care where he went, as long as he was with his mama._

_Mimi was very affectionate with her children, and Terry didn’t much care for it. He used to tell her that he wanted to raise men, not a bunch of sissies. Mickey and Mandy were very much like their mother, and the rest of the brood tended to be more like Terry on the exterior. Terry would spend time with them, bringing them on fishing or hunting trips, but Mickey always passed when asked if he wanted to go._

_When Mickey was 6, his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. He didn’t know what that was, but he knew it wasn't good. Mimi tried to downplay the disease to her children. She underwent treatment, and the bills began to pile up. Terry knew that working at the factory was not going to cover the hospital bills, so he began working with a local criminal._

_He first began with stealing cars, then moved on to robbing houses, which turned into robbing businesses, which turned into guns, which turned into drugs. The more Terry became involved with the criminal element, the more he liked being a criminal. It was a distraction that he wanted, and it brought in enough money to cover the bills._

_The more Terry became involved, the later he would stay out, and the more drunk and mean he would be when he did come home. He started with slapping Mimi around when she gave him grief about his new lifestyle. That anger eventually trickled over to the kids. He only turned to the kids when he knew Mimi was too weak from treatment to help them or baby them. He wanted to turn them into men. She had babied them long enough._

_Mimi had finished treatment; her cancer was in remission, and she was starting to feel better. But Terry didn't stop; he continued to fall deeper into the criminal scene, and became even meaner as each day passed. In an effort to distract her children, she signed Mickey up for Little League to keep him out of the house and away from Terry as much as she could. She signed Mandy up for dance. The others had absolutely no interest in extracurricular activities, and they wanted to be with Terry._

_Mickey was so excited after his first Little League practice. He came home and told Mimi all about his day; how he learned to throw a ball, and how to hit it with a bat. He had made friends, too—though he was particularly excited to tell his mom about Ian.He told her that he had red hair and freckles. That he hit a ball really good and ran really fast.That he was funny and cute, and that he liked to sing, particularly about someone named Gary who lives in Indiana._

_He told his mother that one day he wanted to marry Ian. Mimi smiled at Mickey and told him how nice it was that he made friends. She asked Mickey what was different about Ian compared to the other boys. Mickey told Mimi that he wanted to hold his hand._

_Mimi wasn’t sure if this was something that would pass, or if her son was actually gay. Mimi didn’t care either way; she loved Mickey to the moon and back. It was Terry she was worried about. She told Mickey not to talk to Terry about baseball because he was very busy lately. Mickey didn’t think anything of it, and had no plans of talking to his dad anyway._

_Mickey had been to 6 practices and had 2 games. Every day when he got home, the first thing out of his mouth was about the redhead. How he hit the ball really far, how he was the first one to get a home run, how he liked to spin in circles when he was on second base, waiting for the next batter. How his green eyes looked like the stone around his mother's neck._

_Mimi was starting to become concerned. She was petrified that Terry would find out. If not about Ian, then about when Mickey was older. How would he ever be able to date? Would Terry beat him as bad as he beat her when the kids were at school? She was scared to death for her children. When she was told that the cancer had returned and spread to her back, she knew she had to talk with Mickey, but she wasn't sure of what to say, or how to say it._

_Mickey never stopped talking about Ian, so Mimi thought it would be best if Mickey was no longer on the team, though it broke her heart. One day after practice, she sat Mickey down and told him that he was special. That he was perfect just the way he was, and that his mother loved him so much. Mimi told Mickey that he ended up with a heart like hers, and explained what she meant to the little boy. That it was okay for him to be whatever he wanted to be when he grew up. That he was capable of doing anything he wanted to do with his life._

_She told Mickey that Terry’s heart was very different, and what that meant. That he was not accepting of people who were different than him. That he could be cruel, and would hurt the people he loved to make himself feel more powerful. She told Mickey that Terry did love him, but in a different way than she loved him._

_She then talked to Mickey about being gay. Mickey was still so young, and this really wasn't the right time to have this particular discussion, but Mimi didn’t have much of a choice. It was now or never, and she could not leave her son without saying these words to him. She explained what gay was to Mickey the simplest way she knew how—that some girls like boys, and some boys like girls, but gay is when a girl likes a girl or a boy likes a boy._

_She told Mickey that it was perfectly normal, but that Terry would not think so. She told Mickey that Terry would be very angry if he knew that he was gay. Mickey could not understand why. Mimi told Mickey it was because gay was different from what Terry was, and Terry did not like things different from him._

_Mickey asked his mother if that meant Terry did not like him. Mimi told her son no, that he just needed to let Terry think that he liked the same things. Hunting, fishing, girls, etc. Mickey nodded, but still didn’t understand what he did wrong._

_She told Mickey that when he moves out of the house and has his own place, he could do whatever he wanted, and be whoever he wanted to be. He just could not tell Terry. Ever. She told Mickey to leave as soon as he was able to leave, and to not let Terry ruin him. She told him he was perfect, that his heart was good, and that she was very proud of him._

_Mickey was sad. He felt like he did something he shouldn't have done, and was scared that Terry would beat him if he found out. At the next practice Mickey saw Ian, and he knew that he liked him a lot, but that it was wrong and that he shouldn’t._

_When Mickey hit the ball and made it to first, he peed all over first base. When the coach began yelling, Mickey told him he quit and ran home. Mickey was sad, but also relieved that he was not going to get beat up by Terry. He told himself he would never like another boy again._

_Over the next few years, Mimi became sicker and sicker. She would get treatment, go into remission, then the cancer would come back. It always came back. Mickey heard his mother call to him. “Come here my little clumsy feet. Mama wants to talk to you.” It was the perfect time as Terry was away on a gun run that weekend. Mickey climbed into bed with his mother and laid next to her._

_She told Mickey again that he was perfect, and that there was nothing wrong with him. Mickey told his mother that he liked girls now, and that he would never like another boy again. This broke her heart; she was afraid that he was too young to understand when they had that talk a couple of years back, and she was right._

_She told Mickey that it was okay for him to like girls, if that were true, but that it was also okay for him to like boys, too. Mickey persisted that he would never like a boy again._

_Mimi told Mickey that he would know when he met the right person. She told him that he will know it by the way he felt inside, and that it didn’t matter what this person was, it only mattered who they were inside._

_She told him that if they were the right person, there would be ways that Mickey would know. Mickey was focused on his mother._

_"You will see it in their eyes. The way they look at you. You’ll know it when you see it, Mickey. I know that may not make sense right now, but it will. They will see something in you that you can’t see, like it was hidden inside of you for them to find, for them to show you how important you are. They will always want the best for you. They will let you be exactly who you are, and will love you so much because of it. You won’t have to hide pieces of you away because you think that they will not love you. Mickey, you will feel free."_

_Mickey told his mother that would never happen to him. Ever. Mimi made Mickey promise that if it did, he would return that love, and that he wouldn’t push them away because he was scared. She told him that she would always be watching over him, and would always be there when he needed her the most._

_"Think of me, Mickey. I will always be right next to you, supporting you. You are stronger than you think, sweetie. You are so very strong. Baby, I am so proud to be your mother."_

_Mickey remembered every word his mother ever told him. She died 3 months later, and Mickey was heartbroken. He would try to remember everything she taught him. Until then, he would tuck it away deep down and pretend to be like Terry. He didn’t have a choice now. His protection was gone. He no longer had the security of his mother, and he was devastated._

**_***_ **

_That was the only other time Mickey had cried like that, other than recently. He had loved two people with his entire heart, and now both of them were gone._

_He figured that was why he wanted to take care of Ian. He wanted to give him what his mother never got from Terry._

_Mickey started seeing signs for Puerto Vallarta. He stopped to get a drink and to let Fire Crotch pee. He sat on the hood of his car and pulled the picture out of his pocket._

_He read again what Ian had written to him._

_“I’ve been in love with you for most of my life, and I am certain that I will love you for the rest of it. Ever since Little League it’s been you. It has always been you. It always will be, Mick. I will always be yours, no matter where you are.”  -Ian_

* * *

Ian finished his side of the story with telling Mandy about what happened once he quit taking his meds after discontinuing his visits with Mickey. He started to become manic again, and he knew that he had to do something, or else he would end up back in the psych ward, and that was not happening. He started taking the old meds again, the ones that made him feel like a shell. It was better that way anyway. He could have been used for target practice and not felt a thing, and that was exactly how he wanted to live. Numb.

Ian felt well enough to start working again. He worked with his brother during his mania, and that didn’t go so well. He wanted to do something more with his life. He knew what that was the night he helped save a life. That was it. He would become an EMT.

Ian went through his training, and flew through it with flying colors. He ended up meeting someone who was nice enough. He had been bored and tired of the mundane nights at the Gallagher house, alone in his bedroom, staring at the stars on the ceiling. They started dating, and he was happy he finally had someone to talk to, because his family had their own issues they were dealing with. Ian clung a little too hard to the relationship because he desperately needed a distraction from life.

It didn’t work out so well. Caleb was bisexual, and that was not okay for Ian. He ended their relationship.

Then came Trevor. Trevor was nice, and he had a job helping kids. Ian liked the fact that he was focused on helping the LGBT community. He wondered if Mickey’s life would have been any different if he'd had that kind of support when he was younger. If Trevor was helping other little Mickeys of the South Side, then Ian was happy enough to be with him.

Ian actually enjoyed Trevor’s company. He was funny and kind. Ian would try to make it work with Trevor. He was safe. Fiona had told Ian a thousand times that Mickey was not for him. Finally, Lip started telling him the same thing—that he needed to move on from Mickey, that Mickey was in prison, and that he didn’t want to see his brother spend the next 15 years visiting Mickey in prison. It was not good for him, and Mickey needed to move on, too. It was best this way.

Ian had kissed Trevor, and it was just okay. Not otherworldly like with Mickey, but he had not expected that to be the case anyway. Nothing could ever be like that again, and he had to get that into his brain. Ian tried to kiss Trevor like he kissed Mickey to see if that might work. It didn't. He tried to force himself to feel that passion, but that didn’t work either. Mickey was the one. But he couldn’t be the one, so Ian had to settle for the other one.But he was numb now, so that was okay too.

Ian and Trevor had their ups and downs, but it was fine. Ian really didn’t care if they broke up. He didn’t care if they stayed together either. He could find another "other one" if he needed to now. If he couldn’t be with Mickey, then it just didn’t fucking matter.Not anymore. 

Ian paused to let Mandy take a moment, and to allow her to ask any questions she may have had for him. She had a few, but more out of curiosity than concern.

He told her that she was caught up, and that the next time he would see Mickey was when he escaped. Mandy knew this story all too well, but desperately wanted to hear it in Ian’s words. She was 90% sure that she would execute her plan, but she needed to hear this final story.

Ian started to talk again, and Mandy was laser-focused on him.

“I will never forget this night for as long as I live. Trevor and I were inside, and Lip and Fiona were on the steps. Fiona called me to come outside, and there were two detectives standing in our yard. It did’t occur to me that it could be about Mickey. One of the detectives asked if I knew Mikhailo Aleksandr Milkovich. My heart sank in my chest, and my blood ran cold. I was waiting for him to tell me that he had been hurt, or even worse, dead. When he told me that Mickey had escaped, I was scared as hell that he could get killed if he was on the run, but also happier than I had been in years knowing that he was free."

"Trevor left, and I spent the entire night thinking about Mickey. I tried to figure out where he would have gone. Would he contact me? Was he safe? Would I be able to find him? Would I see him again?"

"That continued all night until the next morning when I left for work. I walked outside and was bumped by some guy who dropped a burner phone. The phone began to ring, and Mickey was on the other line. I thought my heart would explode.He wanted to meet, and I had to figure out how to make that happen because I had work. I dropped the burner in the gutter, pretended to be sick for work, and then I was kidnapped.Yep, you heard that right.Mick had his guys throw a pillow case over my head, throw me in a van, and drop me off in the dirt at our old spot.Fucking pissed me off.But then I saw him, and I lost my ability to breathe for a moment. I wanted to run up and hug him and not let go, to yell at him for putting himself in danger, and to kick his ass for the van ride I'd just had to endure."

"Mick asked me to go with him to Mexico.I thought he was joking at first, but when I looked up at him, he was serious.It made me sick to my stomach that I had just laughed at him in his face.Yet again, I hurt him.He left me another burner phone, and told me he would be in touch."

"He texted that night, and we met at the docks.I'll skip that part, but the next day I met him at the silos.I took one look at him and got in the car." 

"I wanted to go with him, Mandy. I ignored what Fiona said, and I pushed Monica out of my head.I wanted to be with him, but when it came to crossing the border, I just couldn’t do it.I felt like I would be doing the same thing Monica did her entire life.I felt like I would be putting the burden of my illness on top of everything else Mickey had to deal with.I felt like once he got settled, he would find someone better than me.Someone who wasn’t a burden.Someone that he didn’t have to babysit.He deserved to be happy.Mick deserves so much happiness.I was not in the right state to give him that happiness.As much as it hurt, I felt like that was the right decision for both of us."

"And how do you feel now?"Mandy asked.

"I feel like I've had the disease for long enough now that I know how to manage it.I know the triggers.I see a psychiatrist, and I have my meds adjusted when I feel off.I am ready now.If anything, this has taught me that my life is empty without Mickey. Meds or no meds.My life just does not work without him." 

"Okay.So what's the plan?Have you thought this through?Are you 100% fucking certain, Ian?Because if you so much as accidentally bump into him in the hallway, I will kill you.You cannot hurt him again, you hear me?I will fucking kill you myself."

"Got it.He's the love of my life, and I will do whatever it takes to show him.Mick’s it for me, Mands. I promise."


	7. No Air

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mickey gets a job offer he can’t refuse. Mandy is back home in Mexico, and she talks to Mickey about her time with Ian. Mickey is left with a lot to think about, and a decision that he is petrified to make. 
> 
> ***Don’t think I'm making a new video until Shameless starts giving me some new material to use. But enjoy some Gallavich sexy time from one of my earlier video edits. You may want to pop in some earbuds if you are in the company of others. You’ll hear why. Link in notes at the end.***

**_8 months ago_ **

Pablo continued to look out the window for the remainder of the drive, and Mickey did the same.From what he could gather, Pablo lived on the other side of the city.The office buildings started to turn into residential areas—first apartments, then townhomes, then bigger houses, then mansions. 

They passed through a gate and drove up a winding driveway flanked with tall trees on either side.The property was large with multiple houses.They passed several fountains, statues, benches which sat under different trees, seating out in the sun, fire places, fire pits, gardens, flowers, and everything was manicured like it was out of a book. It was beautiful to say the least.

Once they got closer to Pablo's house, the driveway became even more intricate.Grey stones were laid out in an intricate criss-cross pattern, and there was a cement barrier that ran through the property that was a terra cotta color.

Pablo's house finally started to come into view, and it was beautifully unique. The house was the same color as the barrier running through the property, and it was somewhat box-shaped. It was trimmed in bright white with cobalt blue tilework above the doors, had both arched and circular windows, and was adorned with black wrought iron cornices. Cypress trees were placed perfectly around the house, and there were white and cobalt blue ceramic urns filled with flowers everywhere.

The car kept going until Mickey saw a bigger version of the house they had just passed, and beyond that yet an even bigger version of the previous. The car pulled into a circular driveway and stopped in front of Pablo's massive house.Mickey would have bet money that all of Canaryville would fit into this man's property.

The driver hopped out and opened the door, allowing both men to exit the car. Mickey followed the older man to the front door that was already opened.They entered into a large foyer with winding steps made of wood and tile.The walls were a pale yellow, and the ceiling was huge and arched with beautiful white woodwork.They continued through several rooms until they entered into an office with a very large desk, very large chairs, a seating area with a sofa, and a bar built down the side of one wall.There were doors that opened to a terrace with its own seating area.There was also a massive amount of cigars behind glass on the wall opposite the bar.

Pablo asked Mickey to sit in the seating area with him. He offered him a drink, and Mickey asked for tequila.

"Resposado, Joven, Añejo,Blanco, any preference?"

"Añejo, please."

Like Mickey knew what the fuck that meant—he just picked one.

“Good choice,” Pablo complimented. "I have an Extra Añejo that will make you want to slap a baby."

Mickey couldn’t help but blurt out a laugh. He didn’t know why, because he didn’t care for people in general, but he liked this guy.   

Pablo handed Mickey his glass and sat across from him. "So, tell me about yourself, Alek. How did you end up in Mexico?"

Mickey took a sip of his tequila. His eyes grew wide as he swallowed the heavenly taste. Smooth with just a little burn. It left a pleasant aftertaste in his mouth. Sweet almost like vanilla, but woody, and just a touch spicy. He would definitely slap a baby for more of this drink.

Mickey felt his nerves starting to calm a bit once the drink started to circulate in his system. It may have helped that the man's face was warm and kind with just a hint of a smile. He would tell Pablo the truth, and whatever happened, he would accept it. 

Mickey started off by telling the man about his father. He wanted to at least provide that perspective so Pablo would understand how he was raised. Mickey was honest about everything. He was on his third tequila when Pablo asked him if he was hungry. He nodded, but kept going. He was on a roll and didn’t want to stop until he was finished. Some of that may have been due to the tequila.

Twenty minutes later, trays of food were placed on the table in front of the men. Mickey took just a minute to eat a half of some kind of sandwich, then continued again. Throughout the entire story, Pablo didn’t flinch. His face never changed expression. Mickey filled him in on all of his family's criminal activities.

He told him about Ian.

About Sammi.

About prison.

Then he stopped. He knew that the next words out of his mouth could change the course of his life, and not in a good way.

Pablo asked him how long of a sentence he had been given. Mickey told him the truth—15 years. Pablo finally changed expressions to a puzzled look. Mickey pinched his nose and rubbed his eyes in his Mickey-esque way. He looked back up to Pablo and point blank told him he escaped. 

Pablo responded by telling Mickey he figured something like that was involved, and that his fake ID was pretty shitty.

“I will get you a real ID, and a real passport. A real identity. But I will do that only on one condition.”

Mickey swallowed hard. He was half scared, but intrigued.

“Okay,” he responded hesitantly.

“I want you to work for me. For my family. You have the skills I need to keep my family safe. You have already proven you are more than able to do so. We have several bodyguards that protect my family. I want you to take over the team, and I want you to specifically work with my wife and child."

"This job is a monumental responsibility. My family is my life, and their safety is paramount. With my wife and I coming out with views that are in direct conflict with our party, we have received countless threats, and our worst fear happened today. My day would have gone in a much different direction if you weren’t there today. I am indebted to you, and will help you with becoming a citizen of Mexico. You will have legitimate documents to travel with my family when needed.But we will need to make sure that nobody ever looks for you again, and that will take some doing, but we will make it happen.”

“Not sure what that means,” Mickey asked nervously, not knowing what else to say or think.

“Well, since you are being frank, so will I. You will be working for my family, and we have to have 100% trust and honesty between us. We will need to get a body and a death certificate, and it will need to make the news.”

“Seriously? You think that would work? I mean, it would be pretty nice to not have to live looking over my shoulder all the time...but would that actually work?”

“Yes, it will work. You will have nothing to worry about anymore.”

Pablo continued on with the responsibilities of Mickey’s new job. He told him that there have been more than 100 deaths on politicians this year alone. With the election coming up, there has been a bloodbath because of the war on drugs and organized crime. Local government and law enforcement was being infiltrated by these groups as well. He wanted to be as transparent as possible for Mickey to have a true understanding of his need to protect his family.  

“You will be in charge of scheduling the teams, but I want you with my family whenever they are out in public. They spend the weekends at our house in Acapulco. You do not need to be with them on the weekends, but I feel better knowing that you live in the same city. You will have two guards assigned to them, even on weekends. You can travel with my wife back and forth on our plane. If I do need you on a weekend to be with them, I expect that you will clear your schedule. In turn, you will be legal, and you will be earning a very lucrative salary that will put you well into six digits. When you are here during the week, you will stay in our main guest house which you will have to yourself. The rest of the staff stay in the other guest house together.”

_Is this really happening? Am I fucking dreaming right now?_ Mickey mentally pinched himself as he just stared at Pablo, listening intently to his every word.

"When you are not out with my family, I would like you to take Spanish lessons. I will hire a tutor who will come here to teach you. I would also like you to train with the others. They have a rigorous training schedule which includes a weekly session of Krav Maga. I will expect you to continue training until you become a black belt. We have one of the world's best trainers who comes to the property to work with the others. You need to be in top form for this job. I take this very seriously. I will only have the best protection for my family.”

Pablo asked Mickey if he had any questions or concerns. As if Mickey even knew where to begin—he still couldn't believe any of this was actually happening, especially to someone like him.

“Umm...well...I have a dog, and I still wanna be able to dive,” Mickey said.

“You can bring your dog with you when you come. I am sure my daughter will be thrilled. And you can dive on your weekends off. If there is time during the week when we are not in need of you being available, we will let you know so you can plan for a dive. Anything else?"

“Hmm...yes. I have a sister. I'd like to get in touch with her without jeopardizing her safety.”

“Of course. Now I need you to tell me your real name so we can make him disappear.”

“It’s Mickey…Mikhailo Aleksandr Milkovich."

“Okay, Mickey. Any name preference? You obviously cannot keep your current name. It will need to be Latin if you are going to be a citizen of Mexico.”

“I have no idea. Ugh, not even sure where to begin...” Mickey said, feeling a bit overwhelmed at this point.

“Want some help?” Pablo asked.

“Yeah, that would be great. Thanks,” Mickey said with relief. After about 20 minutes, he landed on a name.

“Miguel Alejandro Mirralles. But I go by Mickey.”

Pablo laughed and shot back with a nod. “You got it. I will start making arrangements. We will need to get a photo for your documents. You can head back to your place on the plane with my wife. That will give you some time to get to know each other. You will start next week, so please start getting your things in order,” Pablo told Mickey.

Mickey nodded. He felt like a fucking elephant just stood up and got off of his chest. It must have been there forever, because he was feeling pretty fucking light right now. He must have done something right to lead him down this path. He wanted to be excited. Legit excited, but pushed that feeling away until this shit actually went through. He had been disappointed enough in his life to know the drill. This could be taken away. It most likely will be at some point. But he was going to do everything in his power to make this last. 

Pablo called his wife and daughter into the office for introductions. 

Mickey dreaded telling Claude because he never wanted to disappoint his friend, but he was sure Claude would be supportive. Claude was the best person he knew, and he always wanted the best for Mickey.

* * *

**_Present day_ **

Mickey grabbed Mandy’s luggage and they headed out to his car. He lit a cigarette and told her “go.”

"Just fucking spit it the fuck out already, Mandy.”

Mandy wanted to talk about what happened with their father first. Mickey told her it was a long time ago, and he didn’t want to revisit that shit again. 

“Are you okay though, Mick? I won't ask again, but I wanna make sure you're okay, and know that if you had told me, I would have helped you. We all would have helped you get out of that fucked up mess,” Mandy said as she blinked away tears.

“What the fuck do you think, Mands? No. I am obviously not the fuck okay. My life is a little fucked up, wouldn’t you say? But I'm over it, so let’s just leave it in the fucking past.” 

“I get that. But look at us now, Mick. Did you ever think we would be where we are now? I get to work with the love of my life, and live in Mexico with him. On the fucking beach. In a beautiful fucking house. And travel for a job that I love. I have to pinch myself every fucking day when I wake up. It's like a dream, not the nightmare of a life we were dealt in Chicago. And _you_ did that, Mick. I would have never met Mateo, who ended up being the fucking brother of your boss. The fucking world's coolest boss, might I add, who adores you. They all do, Mick. _We_ all do. I hope you know that we all care so much about you.”

“Cut the sappy shit. I'm glad you’re here, Mands, and I'm glad you met Mateo. You deserve someone who treats you like a princess.”

“Okay, okay."

"Can we talk about the fucking elephant in the room now?” Mickey said, half sick to his stomach as he awaited her response. 

“Yes, Mick. Let’s go to my place so we can sit out back, smoke a joint and have some beers. Might help. Mateo won’t be home until tomorrow.“

“Yeah, I’d like that. Let’s go to your fucking house. On the beach,” he said, air quoting the shit out of it, which made Mandy laugh.

“Do you need to pick up Ginger?” Mandy asked.

“It's FIRE CROTCH, for fuck's sake. Not you too, Mands. Fucking traitor.”

“Well, did you really want Peanut saying Fire Crotch? She's a little thing, Mick. The dog is with her most of the time anyway. Can’t expect her to say Fire Crotch, can you?”

“FIRE CROTCH is spending the weekend with Mirabel. I couldn’t say no to those puppy dog eyes of hers. And Ginger is fine. For her, and ONLY her.”

“Sucka!” Mandy giggled.

“Yes, I sure the fuck am a sucker.” He meant that in more ways than one, but didn’t bother to tell Mandy what was rolling around in his brain. He always had been a sucker for the Jolly Green fucking Giant with red hair. 

  *******

As they settled in the outdoor oasis that Mandy called home, they both did a couple shots of tequila and grabbed a beer. Mandy lit a joint and passed it to Mickey.

“Mick, I know this is hard on you, and I'm really struggling with how much you wanna know and don’t wanna know. You gotta tell me where your head is right now. I will tell you everything or nothing.”

“You know how I feel about him, Mands. He is my fucking kryptonite. I love Ian. I'm sure that will never go away. That said, I can’t have him back in my life. Like you said, Mands, look at us now. Look at what I have now. I can't have him come here and fuck it all up. I have a good life here. If love isn't a part of this life, then so fucking be it. I can’t complain,” Mickey said without expecting his heart to ache a little as those words left his mouth.

“Mick, I just want you both to be happy. And I think you will want to hear his side of the story. You may not like it, but you should listen,”Mandy said hesitantly.

“Mands, he had all of the fucking opportunity in the world to tell me about his 'side' of the story on the long ass car ride to the fucking border, where he fucking left me because 'this wasn’t "him" anymore.' He left me to do this all on my own. By my motherfucking self. To cross into a country that I didn’t know the language, on the fucking run, scared shitless, and thanks to him, fucking heartbroken. I almost died. I almost didn’t make it. You weren’t here to see that part,” Mickey shot back.

"You're probably not gonna like what I have to say next, Mick...but fuck it, I'm saying it anyway.Do you think you would be where you are today if Ian would have come with you?”

“I don’t fucking know.”

“Well, I'm just gonna say it's pretty fucking unlikely.BECAUSE he left you at the border. YOU, Mickey…YOU turned your entire life around.Nobody but you.And I'm so fucking proud of you. You couldn’t or wouldn’t have done that had he come. I am NOT defending him. You are my brother, and I will ALWAYS be on your side, but I really want you to think about that for a bit before you tell me you don’t wanna hear what we talked about, Mick.”

“I'll THINK about it. But I do have one question I wanna ask now.Is he okay? Is he healthy?”Mickey truly was concerned about Ian.

“Yeah, Mick.Ian is doing really good with his meds now.He's like the little freckled fuck who you used to sneak around with and fuck in the walk-in at Kash and Grab,”Mandy said, waiting to have something pelted at her.

“He fucking told you that?! Fucker!”Mickey was more embarrassed than anything.

Mandy laughed. “He may have mentioned it.”

“He has that spark back in his eyes.He looks alive again.Not like the last time I saw him, when he was like a fucking zombie,”Mandy remembered.

“Fuck. God, I miss him.But I am scared fucking shitless."

“One more thing, then we will put a cork in this topic.He wants to see you.He wants to come to Mexico.He would have come back with me if I'd let him.”Mandy was half expecting Mickey to start acting all fucking Milkovich at that statement.

"I have to think about it, Mands. There's so much at stake here. My life is really fucking good right now.”

He got up, walked over to the bar and grabbed the tequila.He took a shot, then another shot, then just one more for fucking prosperity. 

He kissed Mandy on the cheek.“Imma go crash here tonight.Can’t drive.Might need you to talk me off a ledge or some shit. That cool?”Mickey said with a slight slur.

"Of course it is, Mick.You're always welcome here.”

“Can’t believe you live here.Fucking palace fit for a princess.Love ya.”

He meant it.He loved his sister so much.He felt so lucky that they were able to reconnect and build their relationship into what it was today. 

“Love you too, Mick.To the moon and back.Sleep well.” 

Mandy loved her brother. She was beyond proud of who he had become, and she was truly in awe of him.The change in him since he came to Mexico was truly unbelievable.Without the Milkovich curse hanging over his head anymore, he became the best possible version of himself, and she could see their mother in Mickey. _She would have been so fucking proud of him_ , she thought.Hell, she probably made all this happen for both of them.

“Thanks, Ma,” she said quietly as she headed inside to take a shower and get some much needed sleep. 

** *** **

Mandy sat on her bed for a bit, then picked up her phone.  _Fuuuuck.He may kill me, but I am doing it anyway_ , she thought to herself.

\- _Hey Ian.Back safe and sound.Mick and I just had a talk.Just give him a little time to process everything.And get that passport ready. Talk soon.xoxo_

  *******

“The fuck did I drink last night?”Mickey said as he walked into the kitchen.

“Good morning, sleepy face.” Mandy said a little too cheery for his taste right now.

“Hola, Mick!Here, eat this. Won't help your face, but it will help your head,”Mateo said with a giggle.

“I'm fucking glorious, who you kidding?I see the way you look at my ass,” he shot back.

“It is a good ass, Mick.I just happen to like this ass this beautiful woman over here is sitting on.It is the only ass for me,”Mateo said honestly.

“Enough about asses…well, kinda,”Mandy laughed.

“Did you make up your mind, Mick?Still need some time?”

“You tell Mateo?” Mickey asked.

“I did. He knows,”Mandy said, looking at her beautiful fiancé.

“So man, what do you think about this clusterfuck of a situation I got going on here?” he asked his friend.

"When you told all of us the story about you and Ian, I saw it.You were sad as fuck. Quite depressing. Got on my nerves, really.But when you were remembering him, there was a light in your eyes.A _spark_.That kind of spark doesn’t come along often.Most people do not get to experience that kind of love.”Mateo sounded like someone from the soap Mickey watched on Telemundo, but he would never admit that shit to anyone. 

“The fuck you getting so fucking sappy for? Just fucking tell me straight,”Mickey responded.

“If you don’t at least try, now that he is stable, you are an idiot. Now excuse me while I take your sister to our bedroom and make passionate love to her until she can’t walk.” Mateo laughed.

“Too much fucking information, asshole,” he said as he shot Mateo the one-finger salute. 

“But you love me, don’t you?And I love your sister, so you are stuck with me,”Mateo said as he started to round the corner. "Now as you say, fuck off!”

Mandy yelled as she was being carried away for Mickey to call her when he made a decision. He nodded as he closed the door behind him.

Mickey sat in his car for a beat.He was going to let his brain think about Ian this time, not push the thoughts from his head like he normally did, or tried to do.He needed to spend the day going over everything.The pros, the cons.He reached into his glove box and pulled out the picture.

Butterflies.Ian still gave him butterflies.

He put the picture back and took off to make a decision that scared the shit out of him.He felt excited, hopeful, scared, fucking petrified.So many emotions he had to process, but he would make a decision, and he would do it today. 

Mickey sighed.

 _Gallagher_.

He thought that Ian would always be under his skin, and there was fuck all he could do about it. 

* * *

Ian woke up to a text from Mandy.

_Shit._

His heart started racing and his hands were shaking. He read it and let it rattle around in his half-awake brain. _It's not a fuck you or flat out no_ , Ian thought. There is a chance. Ian couldn't help but smile. He couldn't remember the last time he smiled like that either. Just the possibility of being able to even see Mickey again made his body come alive. He felt like his body was waking up from a long hibernation.

He looked down at his chest and ran his fingers over the black ink that now covered his heart.

_Mickey._

He felt hopeful, excited and nervous, but more importantly, he  _felt_.

He remembered what Mickey told him. Mickey was under his skin, too, and he always would be.


	8. Just Give Me a Reason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mickey is having an extremely busy week at work, and he has no clue of the plans happening behind his back. Conspiracy is afoot to get a certain redhead into the country.

Mickey had only been back to work for 2 days, and the week had already been an absolute shit show.Due to the upcoming elections, five other politicians had been killed, and one of them was good friends with Pablo and Sylvie.Schedules needed to be rearranged, plans needed to be changed, and hiring needed to be done.Pablo insisted on hiring two additional guards to add to Mickey’s team.Things were getting bad, and everyone was on edge—Mickey included. 

The flip side to the craziness was that he did not have much time to think about Ian, let alone anything else.Mandy had sent several messages under the guise of concern, all of them including mention of a certain redhead. Yes, Mickey had thought about it before he came back to work.He thought and thought and thought, until he thought he was going crazy.He decided to give himself a two week hiatus from all thoughts, then he would make a decision.He would give himself 30 minutes more to decide after the two weeks were up.That is all—no more, no less. He had already spent enough time thinking about it, and he'd had enough.

Little did he know, Mandy had other plans.

*******

Mandy and Mateo spent their lazy schedule talking and thinking only about Mickey, Ian, and the situation at hand.Mandy, being Mickey’s sister and all, and Mateo, being his best friend, felt that they had as much at stake in this relationship as anyone else.Or so the tequila told them anyway.

That especially drunken night, "M&M," as Mickey called them, were in the pool listening to music and talking about "Gallavich," which they decided was Ian and Mickey's ship name, which would stick once they got together.Mandy could already see the wedding announcements.They may no longer be Milkovich by name, but it sounded better than "Gallaralles," although that gave them a good 30 minutes of entertainment in their drunken state.

The two tequila-drunk idiots decided they would call Ian and tell him to pack his things and get his “culo” to Mexico.It was a “surprise” for Mickey, they told him, and that he would be thrilled!They bought him the one-way plane ticket, and even upgraded him to first class. They invited him to stay at their place until both men sorted their shit out.It was Wednesday, and the ticket was for Saturday afternoon.Though shocked, Ian was beyond himself—excited and nervous as hell, but was 110% on board with this plan. 

The next morning, Mickey finally had time to call Mandy to catch up for a few minutes.She took the call from bed, where she and Mateo had been all morning—nursing their hangovers, and coming to the realization of what they did the night before.Mandy casually asked Mickey if he would be home over the weekend, and he told her that he would be flying in on Saturday morning with Pablo, Sylvie, Mirabel and Fire Crotch. 

Mandy did not mention one word about Ian.She needed to talk to the family first about what she and Mateo did, and _quick_.They all needed to be on the same page, or at least be aware that there may be a ticking time bomb that needed to be defused.

*******

Mickey hung up with Mandy, and he just KNEW something was up, but he didn't have the time nor energy to invest in finding out at the moment.He would wait until he was on his way home to start figuring out what she was up to, not even thinking that he would be seeing Ian in a few days. 

** *** **

Mandy and Mateo called Sylvie first. Mickey and Sylvie had become very close being on her service. She absolutely loved him, and trusted him just like family with her family.They had spent many a drunken night out on the beach together, where Mickey had opened up to her about Ian. At first she had no idea who “Ian” actually was, but during one of their drunken conversations, Mickey had told her about the whole “Gay Jesus” thing, or "Gay Che" south of the border, and she could have been knocked over with a feather.She knew of Ian.She had seen him on YouTube.Her LGBT acquaintances LOVED Gay Che, and they had pictures of him in their offices. 

She always believed in fate, but she kept it to herself when she learned about Ian.She thought about how easily he would fit into their perfect puzzle they had created with the addition of Mickey and Mandy to their family. Because that is exactly what they were: _family_.Mickey was far more than her bodyguard.He earned the title of family when he saved her little girl.  So when she got the call from Mateo and Mandy, she was on board 100%.She knew that Mickey would be pissed without discussing this with Ian first, but it was a chance she was willing to take.She would offer Ian a job working with her staff on LGBT issues.They would be absolutely over the moon, and she truly thought he would be a valuable addition to her team. Now all they would have to do is break the news to Pablo and get him in on the plan.This would be the hard part.

“Hi sweetheart, you look very handsome today. That color really brings out your eyes. Do you have a minute to talk to your adoring wife, my beautiful husband, my soulmate, mi corazón?”Sylvie said sweetly as she entered her husband's office.

“What did you do now?” Pablo said as he looked up at her with suspicious eyes.

“Well, you know how you always tell me that I meddle?” she said, looking down at the floor then glanced up innocently to meet Pablo's glare.

“Ay, Dios mío...spit it out, Sylvana," he told her.

“Well, honey…I meddled again.But you have to promise not to get mad and I will tell you,” she whispered.

“You know I cannot promise you that, Syl. Now if it's about shoes, I am over it.I know that is a losing battle.Why anyone needs 400 pairs of shoes is beyond me, but I get it.I like expensive cigars and tequila, and you like shoes.”

“I guess it is kinda about that, because I bought three new pairs...but there is something else, too.I hired a new staff member for the LGBT team.”

“And you thought I would be upset? Why?You know how I support this issue, and if you need another staff member, then I support you one hundred percent, my love.”

“Thank you, my dear.Then I guess that is all I needed.By the way, it’s Ian. You know…'Gay Che?' ” she said as she backed out of his office and broke into a run.

It took Pablo about 5 seconds before it hit him, then he got up and chased after Sylvana. 

She was in their bedroom sitting on the sofa when he found her waiting for him.He closed the door behind them, because this was a conversation that just might get loud.

“And what does Mickey have to say about your new employee, Syl?” For a second he was wondering why Mickey didn't tell him, but he knew that Mickey would have told him immediately, so he must not have a clue.

“Well, he doesn’t exactly know that he will be working for me,” she said pathetically.

“And what about him coming to Mexico?What are his thoughts about that?" Pablo asked, already knowing the answer.

“Well, he really doesn’t know he's coming yet. But M&M bought Ian a one-way ticket, and he is arriving on Saturday.And I just thought it would be nice if he had a job, and how much my team would love working with him because of the whole 'Gay Che' thing. And well, ya know...I did it for them really, and because it is just too good of an opportunity to not do anything about. He could really bring some publicity to our cause, and like, I really think it would be good, and it would be really selfish of me to not take this opportunity to help the community, and I just can’t do that to...well...the people, ya know?It just wouldn’t be right or fair to them,” she said in one breath.

“So you did it for the “people,” Syl.How selfless of you.Now when are you going to tell Mickey, because I sure as hell am not going to be the one to break that news to him. Want me to call him up here, Syl?You can tell him right now.”Pablo said with as much snark as he could muster.

“Well, I think that we are all going to tell him together on Saturday.M&M are hosting a family get-together, and we will tell him then,” she said in a quieter tone than normal.

“Ah, and who is this 'we?' Because I am pretty sure this 'we' right here wants nothing to do with this mess,”Pablo said, pointing at himself.

“And have you thought about what this could do to Mickey?If he isn’t the one making this decision, this is going to be extremely distracting for him, not to mention he is going to be beyond pissed off, and rightfully so.He has a job to PROTECT this family, and you're telling me that you all just decided this is what's best for Mickey after what he has been through?He is our family now, Syl.You have to be honest with him and respect him enough to have an opinion on HIS life. Tell me you three thought about that before you so hastily made plans for his life,”Pablo said, trying to keep his voice down but not really succeeding.

“No.No, we haven’t.And you have a fair point. It's just that I feel like he needs a nudge. And you've seen him when he talks about Ian.I know you see how his face lights up.He loves him, Pablo.It's so hard to ignore that, because he deserves so much to be happy. The circumstances are different now.They have a _chance_ now. The hurdles and barriers that once kept them apart have been removed.They have a real chance, and you can be pissed all you want. But I want to be a part of that, because once the dust settles, he will thank us for making this choice for him,”  she said.

Pablo sighed. “Christ, Syl.This is going to get ugly.I have to think about this for a bit, and how we can tell him in the best possible way without causing him to get his eyebrows stuck on top of his forehead permanently.What time does Ian’s flight arrive?” he said as he threw in the towel.

“He lands at 12:50pm.Mandy is picking him up and bringing him back to her house.He is going to stay with them until everything gets sorted out.They expect the rest of us to be there at 5pm for dinner and drinks.Mickey is going diving with Claude, then they will be there after they get cleaned up. Claude is coming too, though he has no idea about Ian yet,” she told him.

Pablo went silent and stared at his wife for a brief moment. “So Ian is going to be here for a few hours with no adjustment period.Sounds like a sound plan.Glad you guys really thought this through," he said, his passive-aggressive approach fully intentional at this point. 

"You know I will do whatever I can to help Mickey on Saturday.I will go diving with him and have a car bring the three of us to the house after we stop and have a few drinks.I am not letting him walk in there without being at least somewhat buzzed first,” Pablo insisted, daring her to disagree.

“Okay, sounds like a good plan, honey. We just need to get through this week, and we will see what happens on Saturday,” she responded, knowing that she didn’t have a leg to stand on.

* * *

“I am more than happy to say goodbye to this week. I just wanna relax this weekend and make a decision,” Mickey blurted out as they boarded the plane, also in hopes of getting some advice from his friends.

“What type of decision are you talking about, Mick? Is there something we should be concerned about? Is everything okay?” Sylvana questioned.

“Sit down, Mick. We will get a drink and talk about whatever you want to talk about now. You are off the clock, and we are your family. We are here for you, whatever this decision might be,” Pablo said as he rolled his eyes at Sylvana in disgust for having to play this game.

Once the plane reached a comfortable altitude and they could move about the cabin, they sat around the table with some snacks and tequila while Fire Crotch and Mirabel were sound asleep in their seat. 

“Ian wants to talk. Actually, he wants to come here and talk. He's taking his meds and is doing much better. I just don’t know how I feel about that, ya know? I love the guy, I can’t deny that...but he hurt me. I'm afraid that he'll do it again. You guys gave me an opportunity to change my life, and I'm so thankful and happy with everything, and I don’t wanna lose that. If he does come, I wanna know that I'm getting a partner. Someone who will look after ME if I need it. I can't make my world about him again. There has to be give and take. He has to want me just as much as I want him. He has to want _us_ ,” Mickey told them.

He was quiet for a few minutes—not really looking for an immediate response, but more so to take a breath and pull his thoughts back together.

“How will you know the answer to those questions if you don’t take a chance? Do you think him telling you that is enough? Do you think that Mandy telling you that is enough? How are you going to know how it could be if you don’t try? It's different now, Mick. You have _us_. If Ian gets sick, you have _support_. We will help you. Your sister will help you. You have a support system now. You are not alone anymore. I just think if you don’t at least try, you will regret your decision. You deserve to be happy. It's your turn to be happy, Mick. Let us help you,” Pablo said.

Both Mickey and Sylvana were a bit in shock over that response from Pablo. And because it came from Pablo, a man who only spoke when he thought he was adding value to a conversation, it held a hell of a lot of weight for Mickey. 

It didn’t take long for Mickey to respond; he was caught up in Pablo’s words.

“You’re right. I won’t know unless I find out for myself. And I do love him. He's it for me. Nobody else, so I need to try. I'll tell Mandy to ask him to come down to talk,” Mickey said.

Both Pablo and Sylvana breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Mickey.

“You made the right decision, Mick. I am proud of you for opening your heart to love again,” Sylvana added.

“Okay, okay. This isn’t Telemundo,” Mickey said.

“We all know you watch _La Patrona_ , Mick. You disappear every day at 1pm. Mirabel told on you,” Sylvana giggled.

“She's the reason that town stays alive! She's a badass single mother who doesn’t put up with any bullshit from any man, and she's a fucking hero,” Mickey blurted out, defending his favorite telenovela.

The rest of the short ride was filled with their normal conversations and weekend plans. Pablo was able to get himself “invited” along with Mickey and Claude pretty easily, so the plan was officially in motion, even if Mickey didn’t know it.

*******

“Ian!!! You’re here!!!” Mandy yelled as she spotted her friend.

They ran to each other, and Ian dropped his bags to hug Mandy. They hugged for what seemed like an eternity according to Mateo who, after feeling like a third wheel, wrapped his arms around them both to corral them back into the present.

“Ian, this is the love of my life, Mateo. He's the artist whose work you liked so much,” Mandy said proudly.

“Get out! Man, it's really nice to meet you. I had no idea that was your work. It really is beautiful,” Ian said truthfully.

“Thank you, Ian. I've been told of your beauty as well, and how you could turn the straightest of men gay. You are indeed a beautiful specimen, but I do not succumb to this fate. Amanda’s beauty far outpowers yours, no offense,”Mateo said jokingly, but not really.

Ian blushed and laughed out loud, already knowing that he liked Mandy’s fiancé.

As they made their way to the jeep, Ian was a ball of emotions—

Excited! Scared.

Happy! Scared.

Hopeful! Scared shitless. 

The ride back was filled with Mateo pointing out landmarks, providing a tour as well as some comic relief, which helped calm Ian’s nerves just a little.

As they reached Casa de M&M, Ian’s mouth fell open. The house was stunning, to say the least. _Like the kind you see on luxury home shows_ , he thought.

The house was a bright yellow with white trim. The awnings looked like they were made from a tiki hut, and the house was surrounded by lush greens and palm trees. There was a curved stairway that led to the front door. 

He was speechless.

Once they got inside he gasped, but he still could not form words. The house was bright, modern, open...and the view? _The VIEW!_ _Holy shit!_

He walked right through the house to look out the doors, which led to the most beautiful backyard on the ocean that he couldn’t have imagined, not even in his wildest dreams. Mandy put her hand on Ian’s back, grounding him. He looked at her in disbelief, still unable to speak.

Mandy opened the door and invited him outside. There was a long patio that ran the length of the house, which included stairs that led to a beautiful yard with more greens, palm trees and pavers. There was even an actual fucking tiki hut with a full bar, a large pool, lounge areas, umbrellas made of tiki hut tops, and more stairs which led to the most beautiful ocean he had ever seen. Actually, it was the _only_ ocean he'd ever seen, but he was pretty convinced it was the most spectacular ocean to exist. Nothing could possibly be prettier than this.

They had their own private beach with hammocks that hung from the palm trees. He turned around and looked up, finding a balcony that ran the length of the house, as well as a rooftop deck. The yellow against the blue sky, combined with Mandy looking so fucking beautiful and happy alongside her hot, funny, sweet fiancé made Ian have to take a seat. 

Mandy wandered over to the bar while Ian was taking in the view. She prepared a couple of margaritas—one very light on tequila for Ian, and one very heavy on tequila for herself.

They sat on the lounge chairs facing each other, and Ian just started crying. Not in his sad and usual way, but in a happy, heartfelt and proud way for his friend who deserved every fucking grain of sand on that beach. Every palm tree on that property. All the tiki shit, the pool with the fucking turtle mosaic, and the hot fucking fiancé who adores her. He told her all of that through his sobs.

Mateo stayed out of the conversation, but he heard everything Ian said while he was making his own cocktail at the bar. He knew immediately that he liked Ian. Anyone who loves his fiancée that much was okay in his book. He could see why Mickey would love the guy. His heart was on his sleeve, and there was no illusion at all. This was going to work. Any doubts he had were gone. 

** *** **

Once Ian was back down on planet Earth and the tequila was in his system, Mandy showed him to his room that would be his new home until Gallavich sorted their shit out. Regardless, she was thrilled that her best friend was there. He could stay forever if he wanted to, and she wouldn’t mind at all. The house was big enough, and why have the room if it wasn't going to be used for this exact reason?

His “guest” room was nicer than any bedroom he had ever seen in his life. Mandy left him to unpack and freshen up, which is exactly what he did to keep his mind occupied. He toured the room and attached bathroom, _holy fucking shit_ , and determined where his things would go. He unpacked and hopped into the shower that he could easily throw a rave in—if he knew enough people to invite, that is.

Freshly showered, teeth brushed and things organized, Ian was feeling pretty damn good about life. He walked out his door that led to the balcony to take the view in again. He thought about Mickey, and how he was so close to seeing his face again. That he is within driving distance from him now. That he is looking at the same ocean, and at the same beach, and that he is where Mickey lives, and _holy shit_. He had to run to the bathroom to empty his stomach. 

He brushed his teeth again after he let his stomach settle, then sat on the edge of the bathtub that could easily fit him and Mickey. _Mickey, Mickey, Mickey…shit!_ He decided to go look for Mandy and Mateo for a much needed distraction. Maybe they had some weed he could smoke to calm himself the fuck down.

The three of them went up to the roof to get out of the way of the caterer that Mateo hired. Neither he nor Mandy wanted to cook so that they could give Ian and the impending situation all of their attention. As they sat under the covered area and shared a joint, M&M brought Ian up to speed. _Thank fucking God they smoke_ , Ian thought.

They may have left out that Mickey didn’t know that Ian would be there. They decided to tell him that information at the very last minute, if at all. After a few hours of relaxing and catching up, they went back to their respective rooms to get cleaned up for the evening's events.

*******  

Ian bought a pair of light tan linen pants, because why the fuck not? He wanted to look especially yummy for Mickey, and he knew these would do the trick. He wore a short-sleeved, white, button-down shirt that was missing the top three buttons—totally not on purpose—which he wore untucked with a pair of leather sandals. His sunglasses were aviators. This was probably the most money he had ever spent on an entire outfit, but it was his “Mickey outfit," and he wanted it to be perfect. 

_Mickey, Mickey, Mickey…here we go again_ , Ian thought.

But instead of _where is Mickey,_ or _is Mickey okay/safe/hungry/happy,_ Ian's first thought was that he was going to actually fucking SEE Mickey, and very soon.He was especially thankful at that moment that he had THC in his body.He didn’t want to drink...well, maybe just one or two...but he didn’t want to be drunk when he saw Mickey, and he knew this would wear off by the time that moment came. 

“Hey guys!” Ian said happily as he spotted M&M sitting at the kitchen island, both looking stunning. 

“Well fuck my uncle and call me Tommy!”Mateo blurted out when he saw Ian.

Ian couldn’t do anything but laugh, because what the fuck did that mean?!

“Damn, Ian.You look fucking amazing.Mickey is gonna pass out,” Mandy said with eyes as wide as saucers. _Ian's always been hot as fuck, but this is some serious next level shit.Like Jedi mind trick, Pied Piper shit,_ she thought.

“Uh...thank you?”Ian responded, grinning widely. “You both look like you should be on the cover of a magazine.” He meant every word.

They headed out back to await the arrival of their guests.Ian knew that Mickey would be coming a little later, which was a relief since he wanted to spend some time getting to know the people who had become Mickey’s family. If they were anything like Mateo, he knew that he would like them immediately. 

*******

After their dive, Mickey and Pablo helped Claude clean and lock up the store.They made quick work of it with all three of them there.They headed over to Pablo’s to clean up since he was the only one with enough bathrooms to accommodate them all at once. 

While they were on their dive, Pablo had purposefully skipped the second dive to talk to Claude.He brought him up to speed so that he wouldn’t be just as surprised as Mickey.Claude had become a staple in their household as well, and was privy to all of the Milkovich secrets. 

When Pablo told Claude about the plan, he started shouting in French before he realized what he was doing, and that Pablo did not understand a word he was saying.He took a few minutes to calm his French ass down, then told Pablo that he would be by Mickey’s side for this one.He knew the magnitude of the situation and was worried about Mickey, and Mickey only.He didn’t say another word, but Pablo could see the worry in Claude's eyes.

Pablo understood, because although he could hide his emotions, he had that same worry.

But he also had hope.

*******

Once they were cleaned up, Pablo shot off a quick text to Sylvana to let her know they were on their way.She responded quickly.

_I love him.He just fits.See you soon, mi amor._

Pablo had no doubt that he would like the guy.He loved everyone that loved Ian, so it would be hard not to like him.But he was worried about the other guy sitting next to him at the moment, who came into his life under the worst circumstances, had protected his family, loved his child and wife, and deserved nothingbut happiness.Mickey may work for him, but he thought way more of Mickey than just his employee.Mickey was his family.His brother. He'd be damned if anyone would hurt him on his watch.

They pulled into Casa de M&M, and Claude and Pablo caught each other's eyes. The message was unspoken, but crystal clear: _have Mickey’s back._  

They heard music and laughing coming from the backyard as they walked up the steps to the house.It was a beautiful night. _A perfect night for this reunion_ , Pablo thought to himself.He took a deep breath and opened the door to the house.They walked through to the back doors which were opened.The tiki torches were lit, candles were everywhere, the music was playing, and everyone looked like they were having a good time. These were the reasons he loved coming here for the weekends. 

Pablo walked through the door to head outside first, then Claude.They looked around to try to spot a redhead, but Ian and Sylvana both were missing.They said their hellos and took a seat at the table.There were three empty seats when Mickey sat down, and two of them had obviously been claimed.

The hired staff had both taken and brought the newcomers their drink orders as they settled in, ready to eat.

“Where's Sylvie?”Pablo asked, almost immediately regretting the question once he put two and two together.She must be with Ian somewhere. 

“She's on the beach.She should be back any minute,”Mateo responded.

Just then, Mickey noticed the extra place setting directly across from him.

“Who else is here?” he asked suspiciously, knowing that they never had a guest that Mickey was unaware of.

“Here they come,”Mandy responded.

Everyone held their breath waiting for Mickey to turn around.They could clearly see that Ian noticed Mickey was sitting at the table, considering his face went from laughter to sheer panic.

Mickey turned around to see who this unnamed guest was that would be sitting across from him at dinner. His first thought was that he was being set up on a date.

And then their eyes met. Blue on green.

Time stood still. 

“Hey, Mick.”

“Ian.”

And there they were, now only 10 feet away from each other. 


	9. You are the Reason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The long awaited reunion is here!
> 
> The video edit is a little different this time. It is a reel of the houses, new characters and old, Mickey’s car, Ian in his “Mickey outfit,” and Fire Crotch. It’s silly, but I hope you enjoy. I love putting images to the story. Actually, the images helped me write the story! 
> 
> Flashback on Archive of our Own:  
> https://youtu.be/-sjwRg_TxZA

**_Mickey’s perspective_ **

Mickey felt his heart rate pick up, and he lost his breath for a moment. His mind was racing, and his heart was pounding so loud he could hear it in his ears. But then something kicked in, and he was able to calm himself just as quickly. His mind became clear, and he silently thanked all of his training and coaching. His job did not allow him to be in a state of panic, and he was glad that training carried over into his personal life, too.

Mickey stood up and walked over to Ian. He tried not to let the fact that he looked “unfuckingbelievable” distract him. He could have fallen back into old habits and acted like a South Side thug idiot, but he knew how far that had gotten him in the past, so he decided to take an entirely different approach. He wrapped his arms around Ian in a tight hug and held him for a few seconds.

“Welcome to Mexico,” he said in a completely neutral voice.

He felt Ian squeeze back tightly and take in a deep breath, which he knew exactly what he was doing. Ian always loved how Mickey smelled, and he knew Ian was taking him in.

“Have a seat,” Mickey said to both Ian and Sylvana, smiling, as he walked back over to sit down at the table. He glanced over at Mandy, who looked like she could have fallen out of her seat if a strong wind blew in. He knew she was not used to seeing this side of him yet, and he took a little pride in the fact that he was able to control himself. It was a truly masterful way of saying  _fuck off for surprising me, bitch._

Once everyone was seated, the staff came over and started freshening up drinks, and Mandy also gave them the go-ahead to begin serving the food. All the activity had everyone distracted for a minute, which allowed Mickey to take in the sight of Ian. He looked beautiful. Mickey always thought that Ian was drop dead gorgeous, and continually wondered how he could look even better as he aged.

He noticed that Ian’s face looked healthy. He didn’t have the puffiness or dark circles anymore. His skin tone looked even, and glowed like it did when they were younger. His eyes had a light that Mickey had not seen in a very long time, and he didn’t realize how much he missed that light until he saw it again in those green eyes.

Ian glanced over at Mickey and gave him a head tilt and half-smile, almost apologizing that he was there under these conditions. Mickey smiled back and shook his head back and forth, reassuring him not to worry. He saw Ian's smile perk up, and noticed that he exhaled like he had been holding a breath.

Mickey glanced over at Pablo, who was trying not to be too obvious about reading how Mickey was doing, given the circumstance. Mickey smiled and gave him an implied look to say something to break the silence that had fallen over the table. Pablo picked up on the plea and dove right into one of his favorite subjects.

“So, Ian. Are you a tequila drinker?”

 _Fuck._ He should have looked to Claude, who would at least talk about diving.

Mickey wondered if this was the best conversation considering Ian shouldn’t really drink hard liquor, but he let the conversation continue anyway. He was just happy that someone was talking.

“I'm not really that familiar with tequila other than in a margarita,” Ian responded.

And with that, Pablo was off.

He began giving Ian the history of tequila, the types of tequila, how and when you should drink certain types of tequila, his favorite tequila and why it was his favorite tequila…tequila, tequila, tequila.

The rest of the table knew where this was going, seeing as to how they had all been subject to this conversation at least 5 times each. They all knew what was coming next, too.

Pablo waved the hired bartender over and asked him to bring over a flight of tequila for everyone at the table. He told him which to bring, and in what order and in what glass. The exasperated bartender wrote it all down and headed back to Mandy and Mateo’s bar, pulling out the bottles of tequila and getting to work on the flights.

Sylvana took the lapse in conversation as a chance to change the topic to Mickey. Mickey tensed up for just a minute, then thought _fuck it_. He was pretty proud of his new life, and if someone wanted to dote on him, so be it. It didn't hurt that Ian was going to hear it, too.

Sylvana talked about how Mickey saved Mirabel, how he's the head of their security team, and then went on to talk about all of his accomplishments. Mickey had fallen in love with Krav Maga, and he took it very seriously. He was learning Spanish, and he was quite good at it now. He had set up different training sessions for his team on handling all types of situations that he hoped they would never have to use. He was also an expert diver and swimmer. Sylvana covered all of these topics and more. She made him sound like the second coming of Jesus—pronounced “hey Zeus,” so as to not be blasphemous and shit.

He felt a little blush in his cheeks having this kind of attention focused on him, but he also felt a swell of pride and love he had for his new life and friends. She told Ian that if Mickey wasn’t working, he was doing something to improve himself. He had never thought of it that way, but he supposed she was right. He was doing things that he enjoyed that were not related to any illegal activity, and he was fucking happy.

Ian listened intently, taking in every word with a big smile plastered on his face. He glanced over at Mickey every so often. Once Sylvana was done with her Mickey sermon, Ian turned to Mickey to tell him how proud he was of him.

Mickey smiled and looked down at his food. He wasn't sure how to respond, because honestly, he was not used to that shit.

The flights arrived just after the main course was served, each flight containing 5 shot glasses of various types of tequila. Pablo explained what was in front of everyone, what to drink each one with, and how to drink them. Mickey could see the relief on Ian's face when he realized these drinks were sipped rather than shot.

Mickey nudged Ian under the table to get his attention. Ian looked up, and Mickey very quietly told him he didn’t have to drink them if he didn’t want to. Ian responded in the same quiet voice.

“It’s okay. I'll just sip them and eat some bread or something.” Mickey smiled and gave Ian a reassuring look.

The food was delicious, and the tequila was heavenly. Everyone was eating, drinking, talking and laughing. Mickey took that time to take it all in. He never in his wildest dreams would have imagined this life for himself. He also realized how fucking happy he was that Ian was sitting across from him. Ian looked over at Mickey and they locked eyes, holding their gaze. Mickey felt his mouth curling into a big smile, which seemed to be contagious, because Ian mirrored his expression. He gave Ian a wink, then jumped into the conversation. He knew they had a lot to talk about, and that it was not going to be easy.

But he allowed himself to put that on hold to enjoy this night. This beautiful, perfect night, where he felt happy and whole again.

*******

**_Ian’s perspective_ **

Ian was pretty sure that someone would have to call "nueve uno uno" to come and give him CPR. He had been nervous all day, but the conversation with Sylvana seemed to help calm his nerves a bit. Ian always knew and appreciated how gorgeous Mickey was, and hated how Mickey never seemed to believe him when he would tell him so. But  _somebody call an ambulance_ , because Mickey looked like a fucking eight-course meal. He was pretty sure time stopped, or was happening in slow motion, or perhaps he had just entered through heaven's gates, because this was his fucking definition of heaven standing right the fuck in front of him.

The next thing Ian was aware of was that Mickey was heading right towards him. He didn’t look mad, so he knew he didn’t have to brace for a hit or anything, although he totally deserved a swift kick in the ass. Mickey wrapped his arms around him, and he felt that familiar sensation that came to him when wrapped in Mickey’s arms. He realized that Mickey was the only person who would—strike that— _could_ make him feel this fucking amazing. He took a deep breath to breathe in Mickey, his favorite scent.

Too soon the embrace broke, and he was heading back to the table with the others, Mickey urging him to join.

 _What the actual fuck was that?_ Ian thought to himself.

He expected yelling, screaming, rushing out of the house to leave, a hit or two...but that didn’t happen. He was used to all that with Mickey, but this calm, cool and collected shit? He never would have imagined. He wasn’t sure if he liked it, or if it scared the absolute shit out of him.

Luckily, Pablo started talking about tequila, so he didn’t feel like he was on the spot anymore. He was pretty sure he didn’t hear a fucking thing Pablo said, just responding with a nod and a "mhmm" every so often. The only thing he could think of was that Mickey Milkovich was sitting across the fucking table from him, and he couldn’t fucking think straight otherwise.

The first thing that jumped out immediately was that Mickey's jet black hair was gone. It was now a dirty blonde color, and his skin was sun-kissed, which Ian couldn’t quite wrap his brain around right now, considering Mickey used to be almost see-through. It was beyond evident that he had been working out. He was pretty sure Mickey could pick him up over his head, walk him down to the ocean and throw him in, if he was so inclined. But the biggest change he had seen in Mickey was his reaction. His calmness. His coolness. He looked _lighter_. Mexico was doing him pretty fucking good, and it shone through in a big way.

Ian started to wonder if coming here was the right thing to do. This wasn’t “his” Mickey anymore. Mickey had been replaced by Mickey 2.0, and Ian was feeling pretty unworthy of this upgrade. He didn’t want to do anything that could cause Mickey to regress, so he was feeling pretty fucking petrified. He wanted to talk to Mickey soon so he could get a read on the situation.

The conversation then turned to Mickey, which of course grabbed all of Ian's attention. As he listened to Sylvana gush over Mickey, he couldn’t help but be filled with immense pride and adoration for the man. He always knew Mickey had the potential to do good. Hell, he did good for Ian over and over again. He could have busted out crying right there and then over the fact that other people saw it, too. He glanced over, smiling widely at Mickey, who looked a little overwhelmed from all the attention. He couldn’t help but tell him how proud he was of him.

Ian was in disbelief of his current state of affairs. He was in Mexico with Mickey and Mandy, having dinner served to him at Mandy’s mansion on the fucking ocean. He would definitely need some time to adjust to this new normal, not that he was complaining. Even if none of the material shit was there and they were in a dirty cantina eating fucking burritos, he would still be happy. As long as Mickey was across the table, Mickey was who made everything feel like home to Ian.

Suddenly, five shots of tequila were being served to everyone, and Ian just about swallowed his tongue. Luckily, Pablo started talking again, and Ian thought perhaps he should listen this time. He was relieved to hear that you sip this shit. If he took little sips, filled his belly, and discreetly dumped the extra into his water glass, nobody would be the wiser. He glanced up at Mickey with worry, but was soon put to rest with his gentle response. Ian was finally at ease enough to put something in his stomach and relax a little.

He was hoping the night would present the opportunity for him to be alone with Mickey. He needed to see if any of the old Mick was still there, or if he had disappeared all together.

The conversation lightened while people were eating. Ian listened intently, joining in when he had something valuable to add. He started to enjoy himself; the tequila seemed to loosen everyone up, and it took all the nerves from earlier away.

Ian looked back over at Mickey, admiring how beautiful he was, drinking all of him in. He was pretty sure he would love Mickey Milkovich through this life and into the next. He promised himself he wouldn’t fuck that one up.

* * *

The moon was full, and it reflected brightly off the pool water surface. The tiki torches were lighting up the backyard, and the sound of music was keeping the mood festive. Everyone was having a good time seated in different spots in the backyard. Claude and Pablo were at the bar smoking cigars and drinking tequila, the ladies were sitting comfortably on over-sized couches and chairs around a large table, Mateo was putting Mirabel to sleep with Ginger, and Mickey and Ian were taking off their shoes before heading out for a walk on the beach.

Butterflies were dancing in both of their stomachs as they approached the white sand. Mickey wasn’t sure where to begin the conversation, but he didn’t think he wanted Ian to lead it, either. Ian tended to stress the fuck out and press to try to make everything perfect immediately, which wasn’t even remotely possible right now.

“So, how was your flight?” Mickey said nervously in a much louder volume than he intended.

Ian jumped a little, already on edge. “Good. It was really good. They upgraded me to first class. That was pretty amazing.”

“Yeah, sounds like them. I'm glad you had a nice flight. So, how long are you planning on staying, Ian?” Mickey said, almost afraid to hear the answer.

“Well, it was a one-way ticket. Mandy said I could stay with her until…well...unless you don’t think that's a good idea?” he questioned, fearing the answer.

“Nah, that’s fine. It'll give us time to…uhh…catch up. Talk, ya know?” Mickey said, looking down at his sinking toes becoming surrounded by wet sand.

Ian felt a wave of relief. At least Mickey was open to the idea of talking. Ian wanted to say a million things. He wanted to apologize and tell him he is better now, that he will do better, that he now understands what Mickey was to him, and how he saved him more than once. He wanted to tell him he wasn’t going anywhere, and that he loved him. That he would do whatever Mickey asked him to do to prove it to him. But it didn’t feel like the right time. He wanted to have his full attention, and for time to be on their side, as the conversation would surely be a long one.

“Yeah, Mick. I know. There's a lot I wanna tell you, and a lot I need to say. But I don’t wanna do that right now. Is that okay?” Ian said quietly.

 _Thank the fucking gods_ , Mickey thought, because he was in no frame of mind for that conversation right now.

“Yeah, man. S’good. Not really ready for a heavy conversation right now. Wanna walk a bit?” Mickey asked.

“Sure.”

They walked silently down the beach, listening to the sound of the waves crashing. The night was bright with the full moon, and the reflection was hitting both of their faces, allowing them to catch glimpses of each other when they thought the other man wouldn’t notice.

Mickey sat down in the sand and patted his hand for Ian to join him. Ian was more than happy to accommodate the request, and probably sat closer to Mickey than he should have.

Mickey could feel the warmth of Ian next to him. He hadn’t expected him to sit in his lap, but apparently, that is just about what happened. Mickey knocked his knee against Ian’s, and he felt the familiar electricity from the touch of the man he loved.

“Is this your first ocean, Fire Crotch?”

Ian smiled at the old nickname. “Yeah. It's pretty breathtaking.”

They sat in silence for a minute.

“You’re breathtaking, Mick.” Ian said quietly, not turning his head, afraid to make eye contact.

“Breathtaking, huh? You think you might be overdoing it a little bit?” Mickey laughed, afraid to look back at Ian now.

Mickey felt Ian's eyes on him. He could feel his stomach stirring and the warmth flowing throughout his body. Mickey hadn’t been fucked since Ian. Mickey may have done the fucking once or twice, but he had not been intimate since the last time he and Ian were together. He was trying to push that feeling back down, but he was having some trouble ignoring his desire. He wanted nothing more than to push Ian back onto the sand and straddle him—ride him like the Pony-fucking-Express until the tide came in. But that was not happening. Not tonight, at least.

He felt Ian’s hand on his, and he looked over at the beautiful ginger that he both hated and loved, depending on the minute. Mickey's breath hitched as Ian lifted his hand to his face, rubbing his thumb softly across his cheek.

“Missed you, Mick. Missed you so fucking much,” Ian said, not letting his eyes fall from Mickey’s.

Mickey didn’t respond. He couldn’t, because although he missed Ian and felt like he was missing a limb without him, Ian didn’t deserve to know that right now.

That didn’t mean that Mickey didn’t want to kiss him. He wanted so badly to grab his head and press their lips together, but he would wait on Ian right now.

“You look so good. It’s a little overwhelming, but you look pretty fucking amazing. It's hard for me to keep my eyes off of you. I don’t want to, either,” Ian said, still holding eye contact and gently rubbing Mickey’s cheek.

“Thanks. You look pretty good yourself, Fire Crotch,” Mickey responded quietly, because who could fucking deny that shit?

Ian moved his hand slightly and gently ran his thumb over Mickey’s lips. “Missed these. You have the prettiest mouth, Mick. Your lips are perfect,” Ian said as he continued to rub them softly.

Mickey was feeling so much. _Too_ _much_. He could feel his body disobeying his brain. His eyes fell closed as Ian stroked his lips and said pretty things to him that he didn’t even realize he needed to hear.

“Can I kiss them, Mick? These lips?” Ian said softly, and now Mickey could feel Ian’s breath on his face. He opened his eyes and nodded slowly.

Ian closed the distance and kissed Mickey softly, their lips barely grazing. He moved his hand behind Mickey’s head to pull him in a little closer. Ian kissed over to his cheek, down to his jawline, then back to his mouth—feather-light, which gave Mickey chills.

When their lips met again, Ian pressed harder, and Mickey responded by opening his mouth so that their tongues could meet. Slow and soft, hands brushing gently over skin and through hair, like they were afraid that one of them would break. They kissed like this until Mickey knew where it would lead next if he didn’t pull back.

Intense want and desire danced behind blue and green blown-out eyes as they just stared at each other, breathing heavily, trying to regain their composure.

“I know you’re not ready yet, Mick. I'll wait for however long you need me to. I wanna show you what you mean to me. I wanna prove how much I love you, and that I'm here to stay. It took a lot of fucking up to realize that I found my perfect match at a very young age. I used to think that wasn’t possible, though I don’t know why. How do you meet the one person you wanna spend your entire life with when you're in Little League, for Christ's sake?”

Those words made Mickey’s heart ache as memories started flowing back to him.

Ian continued. “How is that even possible? But I did meet my soulmate. I know that now. I don’t want anyone else. And if you don’t want me, I'll just have to be alone, because nobody even comes close to you. You are it. You are my perfect, Mick.”

Mickey didn’t know what to do with this information at the moment. He had too many emotions that he had to deal with before they could even think about moving forward. Right now he felt love, relief, happiness, sadness, betrayal, grief.

“It's gonna take time, Ian. I don’t know what else to say,” he responded.

“I have all the time in the world, Mick. I'm not going anywhere,” Ian said with conviction.

Mickey stood up and put his hands out for Ian’s to help him off the ground. They walked back in silence, both of their minds racing.

As they headed up the steps, the music was no longer playing, but the tiki torches were still lit. As they got closer, Mickey noticed everyone was in the house, standing around the kitchen island.

“I'm gonna head home and get some rest. I’ll walk you in,” Mickey said, touching Ian’s lower back to guide him to the door.

Ian stopped before they entered. “Do you wanna do something together tomorrow? If you’re not busy?”

“Yeah. Yeah, Fire Crotch. I’d like that a lot. I’ll pick you up at noon,” he responded.

They walked into the house, and all eyes were on Gallavich now. Mickey smiled and told the group he was heading home.

“You sure you don’t wanna stay, Mick?” Mandy asked, not before realizing she was probably being a bit too pushy.

“Nah, gotta get back to the house. Haven’t been there in a week. I'll be back at noon tomorrow to pick you up,” Mickey shot back.

That response seemed to make more than one person's night, by the look of things.

“Yo, Fire Crotch! Time to go buh byes!” Mickey yelled, looking over at Ian’s eyes that were now as wide as saucers, realizing his mistake almost instantly.

Just then the little chihuahua rounded the corner and headed straight towards Mickey, who gently swooped her up and headed to the door.

“Wrong Fire Crotch,” he yelled back with a big smirk on his face. He then felt a new emotion overcome him that he wasn’t sure he'd ever felt before.

_Hope._

*******

Mandy and Ian were finally alone again. They sat on the couch, recapping the night's events.

Mandy played 25 questions, but Ian decided to only answer a few. He told her about what he said to Mickey, and Mickey's response. He left the details out, though. He didn’t want to say too much; he was already overwhelmed, and he needed to process the information himself before talking to Mandy about much else.

They did talk a little about the impending “date," however. He grilled Mandy about what she thought might be on the agenda.

She threw out some thoughts, most of which included being on or under the ocean, the thought of both scaring the shit out of Ian.

“Maybe the beach? A drive up the coast? I don’t fucking know, Ian. Why didn’t you just ask a motherfucker?"

“Well, clearly my head was not on straight at the time, Mands. I had to force myself to breathe, for shit's sake.”

“Well, go get some rest. You've had a long day filled with all kinds of emotions, and I'm sure you’re tired as fuck.”

“Yeah, I'm gonna try to sleep. Don’t know how successful I will be.”

“Open the windows so you can hear the ocean. That always helps me sleep,” Mandy recommended.

“I’ll give it a try,” Ian responded as he headed up the stairs.

He was finally alone with his thoughts, which meant he finally had a chance to process the evening. Hell, more like the entire fucking day. He decided to hop in the shower to begin the process.

He dried himself off and threw on a pair of shorts. He wasn’t sure how long he'd lain there replaying the day, specifically a certain pair of lips on his, until he glanced at his phone. He had been up for 2 hours, and he really needed to get to sleep. He wanted to be fresh for his Mickey day.

He opened the windows, lay back down, and fell into the most peaceful sleep he had experienced in years, filled with thoughts of the man he loved so much.  


	10. Dusk Till Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After their last attempt at a first date, the boys are looking forward to finally having their big day and putting that memory in their rearview.

Mickey woke up from one of the best sleeps he'd had in as long as he could remember. He still couldn’t get over the fact that he spent the prior evening with Ian, and that he really wanted to work things out between them. Ian professed his love and intent, and it made Mickey’s head spin. He was hopeful for what could be, but cautious as well. He wanted to do this the right way; the stakes were too high to treat it in any other manner.

Ian and Mickey were always zero to a hundred, and that obviously didn’t work out very well for them. Mickey wanted to develop their relationship and take his time, as hard as he knew that would be, and for however long it would take until he was able to trust Ian again. If Ian was serious about what he said, then it shouldn’t be a problem.

Mickey spent the morning planning his day with Ian. He didn’t want to seem too eager and excited, but he really did want it to be special. They never had the luxury of time or money on their side, so he wanted them both to enjoy the whole reason he worked so hard.He didn’t even want to think about their last "almost date."

Mickey bought a Ducati a few months ago, and he was trying to decide whether to pick Ian up on the motorcycle or in his car. While the thought of having Ian’s arms wrapped around him sounded tempting, he also wanted to be able to have a conversation and look over at him. He decided on the Audi R8 coupe, a bonus from his employers for saving their daughter. He still couldn’t believe it was his each and every time he sat down inside of the beast. She was his second love, and she was badass and beautiful.

Mickey's plan was to pick Ian up and drive up the coastline to his favorite restaurant, which sat high on a cliff overlooking the ocean. The food was phenomenal, and Mickey was friends with the owner, who always treated him like royalty. He always made sure to leave a generous tip, and he frequently brought them a bottle of good tequila.

After the meal, he planned for them to head over to the marina, where he set up a private excursion. The boat was going to take them snorkeling and on a tour of the coastline, then set them up on a private beach with food and drinks so they could watch the sunset. _Nothing fancy_ , he thought, as he silently scolded himself for going just a bit overboard.

Mickey couldn't help himself, though. He was beyond excited—a feeling he hadn’t experienced in a very long time.

Once his plans were set, he could relax and get himself together for their first real date. He texted Mandy and told her his plans, and asked her not to tell Ian. He did, however, tell her to give Ian an idea of what he should wear and bring with him. Mandy responded with just about every heart emoji she could find on her phone, and he thought she was probably just as excited as he was for this event.He didn’t even have it in him to be annoyed with her excessive use of emojis.

Mandy told him that Ian was grinning from ear to ear with anticipation, and that he went for a run on the beach to burn off some excitement. Mickey smiled knowing that Ian was looking forward to their day, too.He also tried to remember the last time he had been hit with such an intense case of the fucking butterflies. 

He told Mandy he would be there at noon, and to make sure Ian brought sunscreen. And with that, he gathered his things then hit the shower.

*******  

Ian woke up from one of the soundest sleeps he could remember. It took him a few minutes to realize where he was, and what had happened the previous night. The butterflies hit once he remembered that he would be spending the day with Mickey. He was so nervous, but also super excited to the point that his face started to hurt from grinning.

He threw on his running clothes and headed downstairs, because there was no way he was going to be able to sit still without getting rid of his nervous energy. As he hit the last step, he could see Mandy sitting at the kitchen island with her coffee and laptop. He wasn't sure how long it would take him to get used to seeing them in their new life they had built in Mexico.

Mandy offered him coffee which he declined, asking if they had any fruit instead. She pointed over to Mateo’s stash and told him to help himself. Mateo was an avid juicer, and she knew Ian would be participating in the juicing ritual that never quite made sense to her. Why spend so much time to get so little out of something, then have to hold your nose to get it down? It made no earthly sense to her, but to each his own.

While Ian was busy chopping, peeling and juicing, they talked about the previous evening and the upcoming day. Mateo was already in his studio painting, and Mandy planned on spending the day catching up on emails and relaxing by the pool. She knew she would have Fire Crotch, too, because Mickey hated leaving her alone in the house.

Ian cleaned up the mess he made before heading out for his run. While he was out, Mandy received another text from Mickey. She couldn’t believe the previous night had gone as well as it did, and without a speck of drama. She expected a shit ton, and was flabbergasted by Mickey’s cool, collected reaction. She was happy that her brother was excited and looking forward to spending time with Ian. She also couldn’t believe the day he'd put together for the two of them; the amount of effort and thoughtfulness Mickey put into planning their day was a testament to just how much he still loved Ian, as well as to how much he wanted to give their relationship another chance, too.

Mandy was out for a swim in the pool when Ian returned. He wanted to cool off, so he decided to join her. She passed along the information that Mickey had given her, and she had to pretend she had no idea what his plans were, because Ian was being a royal pain in the ass. They laid out for a bit to relax, and then it was time for Ian to go get ready. _Thank the gods, because homeboy's about to get clocked_ , Mandy thought.

Ian was frantically going through his things trying to pick out an outfit and a pair of swim trunks. He threw his sunscreen and some other things into his bag, then hopped into the shower to get cleaned up. He had his iTunes playing, the windows open, and he could see the ocean from his shower. He was pretty sure he was in heaven.

Once Ian was ready, he headed downstairs to join Mandy and Mateo at what seemed to be their gathering place. He chose to stand on the other side of the kitchen island while he waited for Mickey. It was 11:40, and the butterflies were fluttering big time. He was going to spend the day with Mickey, and he was absolutely over the moon.

*******

On the other side of town, Mickey was equally as excited and nervous. He packed up his things, grabbed Fire Crotch, then practically floated out the door to go spend the day with Ian. He shot off an “on the way” text to Mandy, then pulled out of his driveway. He couldn’t wait to see that ginger's stupid face, nor get the dumb grin off of his.

* * *

Ian was trying not to look at the clock on the microwave every 10 seconds, but it was useless.

“He will be here any minute, Ian. He texted and said he's on his way. Calm your tits,” Mandy said.

“It's 12:05, Mandy. How long ago did he text you?”

“He texted me at quarter to twelve. It takes 15 minutes to get here, so there may have been an accident, or traffic or something. Or maybe he stopped to pick something up. He's only five minutes late, Ian. He will be here.”

“Would you like a drink or something to calm your nerves so you will stop getting on mine?” Mateo said in a non-malicious tone, grinning widely.

“Yes, please. Just a small one. I don’t wanna be drunk when he gets here,” Ian said, not quite sure it would even stay in his stomach.

*******

Ian had finished his second drink, and Mandy and Mateo decided to join him for his third. Mandy sent Mickey two texts discreetly from the kitchen, and she called him once from the bathroom, but there was no answer. She let Mateo know once Ian went into the bathroom next. She couldn’t help but feel worried.

“Do you think he changed his mind?” Mandy whispered to Mateo.

“Why would he go through the trouble of making all those plans, then text to say he's on his way, if he was just going to end up flaking out?” he responded, feeling nervous himself.

“Go outside and call Claude, and if he isn’t with him, call Pablo. Call Mickey, too. Maybe he will answer for you. But don’t make it obvious. I don’t wanna freak Ian out,” she told him as he headed outside to do as he was instructed.

Mateo called Mickey first, but again, there was no answer. He called Claude, who had not heard from Mickey since the previous night. Mateo was starting to feel sick to his stomach as he made his last call to his brother.

“Pablo, is Mick with you?”

“No. Isn’t he supposed to be with Ian today?” Pablo responded, sounding more worried than he should have to Mateo.

“No. He was supposed to be here at noon. He texted Mandy saying he was on his way. He made plans—reservations at a restaurant, and a shore excursion with Dante. This doesn't make any sense. Do you think maybe something happened? An accident or something?” Mateo asked, thinking the worst.

“Jesus Christ, Mateo. Hold on a second,” Pablo barked.

Mateo could hear Pablo talking to one of his guards, which soon turned into yelling and panicked voices.

“Mateo, we’ve got a problem. Rickey just got a call from Mickey’s phone. It wasn’t Mickey, man.Fuck...someone has his phone, which means someone has Mickey. Listen...we have to go now. We have GPS on his car. Let me get back with you. Don’t tell anyone about this yet. I will call soon,” Pablo said, and then the line went dead.

Mateo had to sit down or he was going to fall. He had a bad feeling, and now it was confirmed. There had been so many kidnappings and murders which were politically driven because of the upcoming election. People were dying, and he knew some of those people. This was a huge ordeal. The cartel was picking people off one by one so they could continue to control majority. And he knew how it ended for everyone else that was grabbed. He couldn’t even bear the thought.

*******

Mandy was trying to keep Ian calm while keeping herself calm. She glanced out the back door and saw Mateo sitting at the bar with his head in his hands, no phone attached to them. She knew something was wrong, but she was doing her best to hide it. She was trying to figure out how to get to Mateo without freaking Ian out.

She picked up her phone and texted him. She saw him pick up his phone, set it back on the bar, then resume his previous position.

Mateo had no idea what to tell his fiancée. He barely knew what was happening himself, and he was trying to wait to hear something from Pablo before putting unnecessary worry on anyone.

Mandy turned on the TV to distract Ian, asking him to wait for the weather while she went outside to check on Mateo. The closer she got to her fiancé, the sicker she felt. She wanted to scream, but she tried to speak as quietly as she could in case Ian was watching.

“What the fuck is going on, Mateo?” she demanded.

He looked up at her and saw the worry in her eyes, certain that she was getting the same visual from him.

“I don’t want you to panic, my love. I don’t have good news, but nothing has been confirmed yet. I was trying to wait for Pablo to get back with me before telling you anything. He asked me not to say anything,” he said with a voice that Mandy had never heard from him before, which scared her to death.

“What do you mean? What happened? And don’t even think for a millisecond that you're gonna wait to tell me anything, because I will hurt you. Critically hurt you, so go,” she said, fighting back tears and dreading his impending words.

“One of Mickey’s guys got a call on their phone from Mickey’s phone. It sounded like there may have either been a threat, or someone has him. I don’t know. They are tracking Mickey’s GPS now, and they're going to call me back.”

“Like what, he lost his phone? Someone has Mickey’s phone? He could have left it at the store or somewhere on his way here."

“I don’t think you understand what I am saying, my love. Someone may have Mickey. Someone _bad_ may have him,” Mateo said, regretting his words as they were coming out of his mouth.

“Do you mean that…oh God. No. No way. Why would they want Mickey? He's Pablo's bodyguard. Why would they wanna take Mickey, Mateo? That doesn't make any sense!” she cried.

“That we don’t know, and let’s try our best not to go there yet. We don’t know anything other than someone has his phone, really. Let’s try to wait until Pablo calls before we tell Ian anything.”

“Yeah, okay. Yeah,” she said as she sat at the bar next to Mateo, wondering what the fuck to do next. She could barely keep her own emotions in check, let alone worry about Ian’s.

As they tried to pull themselves together as best as they could, they both headed inside to try to keep Ian under control until they knew more.

*******

“Where is Avenue Costera de las Palmas? I think I remember seeing that road sign. Isn’t that close to here?” Ian asked.

Mandy and Mateo both directed their attention towards the television. Ian had been watching the news waiting for the weather report, but then there was a breaking news interruption which they were all watching now. Ian couldn’t understand what they were saying, but he saw the name of the street along with reporters and cameras on the road, which was heavy with law enforcement.

Mateo was listening intently to the television, trying to ignore the multiple “what are they saying?” questions coming from his fiancée and friend.Mandy was getting quite good with her Spanish, but she seemed to have lost the ability to understand words in general after hearing about Mickey.

The camera panned to the road where multiple people were stopped, talking to the police.

And then Mateo saw it. Mickey’s car.

He was hoping Mandy wouldn’t notice it, but she approached the television as if she could literally touch the car through the screen. Ian was beginning to panic, but he was speechless. He could tell by Mandy’s current reaction and the look on Mateo’s face that something was horribly wrong.

“Is that...?” Mandy looked at Mateo as tears started streaming down her face.

“I think so, baby. It looks like it.” he responded, on his way to grab Mandy. He got there just in time as Mandy collapsed into his arms and went into a hysterical state.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON? SOMEBODY TELL ME SOMETHING! SOMEBODY TELL ME SOMETHING NOW!!!" Ian screamed, suddenly bringing Mandy and Mateo back into the moment.

“Sit, Ian. Sit down and I'll tell you what they're saying. Come here, baby. Sit down with me,” Mateo urged as he helped Mandy over to the couch.

“I called Pablo to see if he heard from Mickey when he was late. One of Mickey’s guys, one of Pablo’s other guards, got a call from Mickey’s phone, but it wasn’t Mickey. That is all I know from Pablo. I am waiting for him to call me back with an update. He did say that Mickey’s car has GPS, so they were going to track it.” Mateo paused.

“Was that his car? On the television...was that Mickey’s car?” Ian asked, fearing he already knew the answer.

“Yes, that is his car. That is the road he takes to come to our house from his," Mateo replied.

“Wh-what are they saying?” Ian asked again, tears welling in his eyes.

“Some of the witnesses saw what happened. There were three trucks blocking the road, which caused all traffic to come to a stop. Mickey’s car was first in the line of traffic. At first they thought the trucks were helping someone with a flat tire or something, but then two men with guns jumped out and started firing into the air. They saw Mickey jump out of his car with his gun, then another guy came up from behind and threw a hood over his head. All three men pulled him into one of the trucks and took off,” Mateo said, tearing up.

No intelligible words could be heard in the house over panic, tears, cries, screams and utter confusion. It was as if everything was happening in slow motion.

*******

They came to when the front door suddenly flew open. A stream of people rushed in behind Pablo, causing everyone to startle and nearly jump out of their skin.

“You’ve seen it,” Pablo said, not getting an answer from anyone. “Turn the television off," he signaled to one of his men, who did as he was told.

“This is what we know.” Pablo hesitated for a bit, then took a seat. At that point, one would be able to hear a pin drop in the large room.

“Mickey has been kidnapped. We aren’t quite sure why yet, or by whom. I know that is not what you want to hear right now, but we just don’t know yet. We do know that they have his phone, and we are having it traced now. The call that Rickey received was brief. The man on the phone told him that they are holding Mickey, and that they will be in touch soon. That is it. The witnesses are being interrogated now at the station. A few of my men are there as well, trying to find out anything at this point.”

“Where's Fire Crotch?” Ian asked quietly.

“Rickey is picking her up from the station now and will bring her back here. She's fine. And I know it doesn’t feel this way right now, but we will find him. We will get him back. _Alive_. He _will_ come back alive. DO YOU HEAR THAT EVERYONE? ALIVE. THERE ARE NO OTHER OPTIONS. ¡VAMOS!” Pablo screamed while looking at his men, who took that as their queue to exit the house and get to work.

Pablo walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a glass and a bottle of tequila. He drank two glasses before sitting back down, bringing the bottle with him.

“What are your plans, brother?” Mateo asked, hoping that a plan was in place, but also knowing that one would be.

“We have a couple of things on our side. They have his phone, which we can trace. We also have chips in several of Mickey’s things: his phone, sandals, shoes, belt, bracelet, etc. We have a lot of chips, so there is a good chance he has something on or with him that we will be able to trace, which is what we've been doing, and we are waiting on further information. We contacted Anthony, who also insisted on helping. He's flying down in the plane now. There is a crew assembled at this house, and there are men at Mickey’s house sweeping to see if they can find anything. Once we get the car back, we will have it dusted and swept. We will also check the camera in the car to see if he had it on. Knowing Mickey, he did.” Pablo paused again.

The room was once again pin-drop silent as everyone was trying to process the information.

“From my guess, it could be one of two cartels. I'm thinking Juarez or Jalisco. This goes beyond anything LGBT-related. This is political. They have made threats to us before, but we haven’t given in to them. They are sending a message. Why they picked Mickey up is what I'm trying to figure out, though. It doesn't make any sense. When they make contact again, we will request proof of life. Mickey knows what to say and do if this happens. We are prepared for these scenarios, thanks to him and Anthony. We wouldn’t have been if it weren't for Mickey, ironically enough. He just might be the one to save his own life.”

“I want to help,” Ian said vehemently.

“I know you do, Ian, but we have many men who have been trained to handle this exact situation. They know what to say and do without putting Mickey in harm's way. They know how to negotiate and how to track. The best thing you can do is stay here with Mandy and keep each other sane until we bring him back home.We _will_ bring him back home."

*******

Mateo did his best to try and keep Mandy and Ian calm while Pablo was getting updates from his men. His best friend was kidnapped after the love of his life came back to him. He couldn’t reconcile how unfair that was to him. He loved Mickey like his own brother. He knew that he was a good man who kept getting the short end of the stick. He felt sick, but he had to put his feelings aside to try and help the other two people who loved his friend the most.

Ian and Mandy were taking turns in the bathroom, emptying their stomachs to the point of just dry heaving now. The tears did not let up, though. Mateo could see the panic in Mandy’s eyes, and he knew why. This was an epidemic, and the result had never been good. They weren’t going to share that information with Ian. Aside from him worrying about Mickey, Ian had a health issue that they needed to monitor now. If anything could set off an episode, Mateo imagined this would be it.

Pablo announced that he was heading back to the house for a meeting. Anthony had arrived, and he was putting a plan in place. He promised to share anything he could once they were organized.

And in just one day, Mexico had turned from heaven into hell on earth.


	11. The Reason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mickey has been missing for a few days now. They are finally making some traction and getting closer to finding him, and Ian is hellbent on helping with the search. As many times as Mickey saved him, it is now Ian’s turn to save Mickey. At least he hopes so.

It had been two days since Mickey was taken, and the team had made little progress. Mickey did have the wherewithal to activate the camera in his car to record the scene, which was good information to have, but it scared the shit out of everyone who had to watch it. The men that took him had their faces covered, and no discernible marks that could help them track Mickey. The plates led to nowhere, which they all expected would be the case.

Anthony cleared his schedule to help with the investigation. Anthony was a professional whom Mickey hired to train his men for worst case scenario situations just like the one he was in right now. They had become close friends since then, and Anthony would do whatever it took to find his friend and bring him back safely.

They were trying to pick up any and all signals from the items that didn't track to somewhere Mickey would have left them. There were two items that were not accounted for, which gave them a little hope: his phone and his bracelet. They kept picking up a weak signal, but could not hold it long enough for the GPS to register a location. The only way a signal could be that weak was if the chip was in deep water, or surrounded by a material that could block it, such as steel.

Ian didn't get much sleep the past couple days, and neither did Mandy. They dozed off on the couch once they tired themselves out from crying, but that really didn’t count. Neither of them had showered or slept in a bed since Mickey was taken. Mateo was meticulous about keeping Ian on his med schedule, and making sure they were both getting nutrition, even if just a little.

“Hello, everyone,” Pablo said as he entered his brother's house. Any time Pablo would come with an update, which he liked doing in person, it put them on edge, but they listened intently.

They all gathered in the living room on the numerous couches. Pablo had some news. Not much, but at this point, he was just happy to have something.

Pablo's team was able to track the signal to a general area, which allowed them to at least hone in on two cartels who were active in the region: the Juarez and Gulf Cartels. The signal was coming from the border of Chihuahua and Coahuila. If Pablo had to pick, he would go with the Juarez gang, whose members were more politically focused.

"Anthony has two teams on the way to that area. They are going to trail them and see what they can find out. I still don’t know why they would grab Mickey and not me. It doesn't make any sense."

Ian and Mandy finally had something to hold on to. The way Pablo was managing the situation gave them hope, and they knew he was doing everything in his power. They were pretty sure he had not gotten a wink of sleep since the incident, either.

Pablo did his best to distract everyone by asking them nonsensical questions to try to get their minds off the situation, if only for a few moments. He didn’t want to see them as worried as they were, because he felt partially responsible somehow.

Ian clung to Fire Crotch like she was his lifeline to Mickey, which Fire Crotch did not seem to mind. Wherever Ian went, she followed. Ian repeatedly told her that they would bring her daddy back, which was probably to reassure himself more than anything.

The only thing they could do now was wait to hear something. Pablo was expecting an update within the hour. He pulled Mateo aside to get an idea of how everyone was really doing. Mateo suggested that Sylvana and Mirabel come over so they could have a meal together as a family, even if it was something simple on the couch. They all needed the distraction, and needed each other.

*******

Mateo and Pablo picked up their order from Il Forno Di Gio, which had the best pizza in town. They were all seated around the couch, nursing their pizza and making small talk. Mirabel and Fire Crotch were playing and keeping everyone entertained, which was a nice distraction.

They didn’t tell Mirabel what happened, only that Mickey was away for a couple weeks for a special training. Sylvana and Ian talked about his new position and started hammering out some of the details. Mateo had taken care of Mandy’s schedule for the next two weeks. All they could do now was wait, which fucking sucked beyond all recognition. They hated every minute of not knowing where Mickey was, or if he was okay.

They decided that the girls would stay in one of the guest rooms to get away from the area of the house that had turned into mission control. Ian and Mandy had collectively agreed that the time had come for them both to take a shower. Neither of them thought they had enough energy to get it done, but they would at least make an attempt, because frankly, they both started to stink.

Ian headed up to his room and undressed. He looked in the mirror and rubbed his fingers over Mickey’s name engraved on his chest. With that, he sat on the edge of the tub and cried. He cried like he never had cried before, and without feeling like he had to hold anything back or control himself for anyone. He cried and sobbed, and repeated Mickey’s name over and over again.

He had physical pain in his heart, and if Mickey didn’t come back to him, it would be there for the rest of his life, he had no doubt. He vowed that when Mickey came back, they would never use the word _date_ again. It was a bad word. A bad, bad word that made people disappear.

When he finally ran out of tears, he turned on the shower and stood under the water, replaying his reunion with Mickey. How much he wanted to grab him and hold him in his arms, and never let go. How much he wanted to tell him everything he needed to hear, and that Ian meant from the bottom of his heart. He wished he would have tried. He wished Mickey could hear his words.

It was late when Ian headed back downstairs to join Mandy on the couch. Sylvana was putting Mirabel to bed with Fire Crotch, and the rest of them were still on the sofa.

Ian was just about to nod off on Mandy’s shoulder when Pablo’s phone rang, and he jolted his head up.

Pablo took the call outside. When he came back, he asked for Mateo’s laptop so he could check his email. The men were on the ground and had begun their reconnaissance. The teams were able to take photos of some of the cartel members, and they were sending them to Pablo. Anthony had them too, and he was doing his research.

Pablo began printing out the photos to spread out on the table for them to analyze. Mateo was sitting next to him looking through the photos as well, knowing he would be of absolutely no use, but it distracted him for a bit.

Ian woke up an hour later, and Pablo was back outside on another call. He and Mandy got up to go sit out on the beach to get some fresh air for a bit.

“They picked up a better signal. They think they narrowed it down. It’s Juarez territory,” Pablo told Mateo.

“That’s good. We’re getting closer then, right?” Mateo responded.

“This is the most dangerous cartel in Mexico, Mateo. They would skin their kids and eat them if they were hungry enough. They have no souls. I am scared to death thinking about what they are doing to Mickey right now,” Pablo explained.

They sat in silence until Ian and Mandy came back an hour later.

* * *

_Mickey was on cloud nine. He had his pupper in the car, his music playing...it was a fucking perfect day, and he would get to spend it with Ian. It was surreal, and he couldn’t wait to see his ginger._

_Of fucking course there would be something to hold up traffic when he actually had something important to do. He didn't want to be even a minute late, and now he was irritated._

_There were some trucks stopped in a way that didn't make any sense, because honestly, they could have managed to stop in a way that would allow traffic to pass. He was trying to figure out what the fuck was the hold up, because he couldn’t see anything other than some men bent over, staring at a perfectly inflated tire._

_He started to get a sickening feeling, because something just felt off. He turned the camera in his car on, then grabbed his gun. He stepped out to check the surrounding area to see if anything else caught his eye, and then he heard it. Gunshots were being fired into the air. The next thing he felt was something being thrown over his head, and then he was grabbed from behind. His gun was knocked out of his hand and he was being pulled, his feet dragging along the street._

_He heard a bunch of shouting, felt himself being lifted up, then heard a door slam. He was thrown hard onto the floor of the vehicle. He tried to get up, to get the hood off of his fucking head, but then everything went black._

_Mickey remembered drifting back into consciousness. He could feel that he was still moving, and his head fucking hurt. He couldn’t keep his eyes open, drifting back into the darkness._

_When he finally woke up, he was being dragged again. He heard men hollering, and he was trying his best to make out what they were shouting. He was trying to pick up anything distinctive about his surroundings without the ability to actually see where he had been taken._

_Nothing._

_He was being pulled again for what felt like 5 minutes, and down an incline. He heard a door open, and then he was tossed onto the floor. The ropes around his arms were being cut, and the hood over his head was removed. It stuck to the dried blood from the hit earlier, and hurt when it was ripped away._

_He could see out the door of what looked like a shed. A shed with no windows, and made out of some kind of metal. Heavier than the typical shed…like a fucking doomsday contraption. There were small air ducts at the top that were barely within reach if he were to stand. He could see men with guns, trucks, and packages._

_Packages._

_It hit him like a ton of bricks._ _He was taken by a drug cartel._

_Just then, a bottle of water was thrown at him, and the door was slammed shut._

_Mickey had been trained for this type of situation. Funny how the simulations were absolutely nothing like the actual fucking scenario, though. He tried his best to recall what he had learned for this type of scenario._

_His bracelet was chipped! Yes! But how would he get a signal out of here was the real question. He held his hand up as close to the duct as possible to try and at least get a ping out. When one arm got tired, he switched to his other. When both were tired, he sat down and assessed his fucking situation, trying not to think of the fucking irony of it all._

_He had to get back to Ian. To his family. This was non-negotiable. He would be going home to Ian, and when he did, he was never going to fucking let him go. Fuck arguing and reevaluating their entire relationship. It was not happening. They were fucking kids back then, for Christ's sake. They both grew up—if not in years, then definitely in experience. They made themselves better, and they were ready to commit to each other. This was his motivation._

_Fuck you, you fucking fucks. They didn’t have any idea who they captured, but he was going to fuck shit up for them good._

_In typical Mickey style, he started to worry about Ian. He thought about Ian thinking he didn’t show up on purpose. Even if it was just for a minute, the thought of him being hurt killed him. Was he taking his meds? Jesus Christ, what if this triggers an episode? Mickey knew he had to get out of there quickly. He had to take care of Ian. But first, he had to take care of Mickey._

_And so began the bracelet dance. He held it up until his arms were shaking. He did the best he could until he knew he had to try and get a little bit of sleep. He drank his water, pissed in the bottle, then lay down to rest. As much as he didn’t want to, he knew he would have to have enough energy to get the fuck out of this place._

_When Mickey woke up, it was light again. He slept longer than he wanted to, apparently through the night. He woke up to some toast and two bottles of water. The piss bottle was gone, and so was his bracelet._

_Fuuuuck. He hoped that what he did the day before was good enough to get a signal to his team._

_Mickey put a plan together. The next time someone came in, he would pretend to be sleeping, and then he would make his move. He learned how to use what he had to make a weapon, which left him with the water bottles. He started working on his bottle shiv._

_He was starting to get a nice edge when he heard the door being unlocked, so he hid his project in his pants. He had only used one bottle and had the other in his hand when the door was opened, the back of his head against the wall._

_“So you made it over the border, you fucking piece of shit. I bet you thought you would never see my face again, huh? Did you think that hair would fool me? Should have covered your knuckles better. I am looking forward to showing you what we have planned shortly.”_

_And with that the door slammed shut, and Mickey let go of the breath he had been holding. He was fucked._

* * *

Ian woke up on the couch by himself. He sat up and glanced around the room. Mateo was in the kitchen making coffee and breakfast. There were photos scattered all over the dining room table and coffee table, obviously of cartel members. The pictures looked exactly like he had imagined they would—just like the ones you see on TV. The thought of Mickey being held by these men was fucking terrifying. 

“Good morning, sleepy head,” Mateo said.

“Good morning. Where is everyone?” Ian responded, though there was nothing good about it.

“Mandy is out back with Mirabel and Sylvana. Pablo is at mission control.”

“Any updates?”

“Just more pictures. Pablo was receiving pictures all night. Most of them are out on the tables. Would you like some coffee or juice?"

“Coffee, please.” Ian needed fucking caffeine more than he needed micronutrients at the moment.

Mateo handed Ian his pill bottles and a glass of water.

“Thank you, Mateo,” Ian said, thinking about how much he liked him. He was a good person. Fucking drop dead gorgeous, but more importantly, he was good.

Ian took his pills and took a sip of his coffee. He began wandering around the dining room table, picking up the pictures that were strewn about, analyzing each one like he had any idea who these fucking people were. But perhaps by some miracle, he would see something he recognized.

He made his way over to the coffee table after looking through all the pictures on the dining room table. He sat his cup down, then picked up all of the photos. He sat down and began going through each one, looking over every detail.

“HOLY MOTHER FUCK!” Ian yelled, jumping off the couch. He began to go through the pile and pulled out all the pictures of the man he thought he recognized.

“What is it? Do you see something?” Mateo asked, being ignored by a frantic Ian.

Ian gathered the pictures and lined them up next to each other on the kitchen island.

“Him. Do you see him?” Ian asked, pointing at the man he recognized.

“Yes. What about him? Do you know him?" Mateo asked in a shocked tone.

“I think I do. I mean, I might. Not sure, but yeah. Might. You said Pablo received more pictures? Can we see if he has any other pictures of this man? I need a close-up.”

Mateo was dialing his brother's number before Ian could finish his question. He took a picture of the line of photos with his cell and sent it to Pablo.

“Pablo, check your phone. Do you have any more pictures of this guy?"

“Let me check. What’s going on?” Pablo asked.

“Ian thinks he recognizes this guy, but he needs a closer shot.”

“He knows him? How the fuck does he know a member of the fucking Juarez cartel?” Pablo questioned, sounding confused.

“Good question. No fucking idea, but I will ask. Do you have more photos?” Mateo asked again.

“Yeah. Yeah I do. I have one that is a little closer than the others. Sending it now, but I will tell my guys to try and get as close to this guy as possible to get a closer shot,” Pablo said before hanging up.

“Ian, how do you know this guy?” Mateo asked.

“Mickey and I both know this guy.”

Mateo’s phone dinged. He opened up the picture and handed it to Ian.

“That’s him, Mateo. That is fucking him.”

“Who the fuck is _him_ , Ian? I need you to tell me how you both know him.”

“Damon. Mexican banger hitman motherfucker,” Ian said under his breath, as he stared at the picture.

“Is that supposed to mean something to me?”

“He was Mickey’s cell mate. They escaped together and were heading to Mexico. We left him after he held up a gas station. He was too much trouble. A liability."

“Calling Pablo now.”

“And you can tell Pablo, like it or not, I am going to get Mickey. I am bringing him back here. He has saved me more times than I am probably even aware of, and I owe him my life. I WILL steal a car if I have to. I don’t give a shit. My life means absolutely nothing without Mick. Okay?” he said sternly with a death glare on his face.

“Okay, Ian. Pablo, I have news. Can you get over here now?”

“Leaving now. Be there in 20,” Pablo responded, no questions asked.

*******

Pablo flew through the door like a bat out of hell.

“Talk,” he said to Ian.

Ian explained everything, and told him he had to go. He had to go get Mickey.

“You know he will fucking kill me if I let you do this, Ian. If anything happens to you, Mickey will never be okay. Ever.”

“It's a chance I have to take to get him back. I promise I will be smart. I will follow your men, and do as I am told. I have training, and I'm one hell of a shot,” Ian pleaded.

“I'm going with you. We will fly up and meet the team. Grab what you need, and then we'll leave.”

The plane was just leveling out when Pablo got a call from the team with an update. Ian tried to hear what the men were saying, but couldn’t make it out.

Pablo hung up and looked at Ian. “They are getting a strong signal. They know his exact location. We are going to hit it tonight.”

Ian had never been so relieved in his life. Scared shitless, but hopeful.

*******

It felt like they flew around the fucking world twice, although it was barely over an hour. As they were landing, another call came in. Rickey had received another call with a list of the most ridiculous demands. Pablo was fucking furious, but dialed it back for Ian’s sake.

Rickey told them he would discuss their demands with Pablo, but he would not entertain the demands until they received proof of life. That was non-negotiable; without seeing Mickey living and breathing, they wouldn't get dick. 

Pablo was obviously nervous as his foot was moving so fast he could probably Flintstone them to wherever they were going faster than the guy was driving. Ian had an unsettling feeling. He just wanted to get to where they were going so he could get his Mick. He wasn’t even scared of the cartel. He was only scared for Mickey’s safety. 

They passed some pretty scary looking shit on the way. Ian thought the South Side was dangerous, but the South Side was Disney World compared to this place.

The video started to come through as they were pulling into the driveway of the house that was being used as mission control.

The video began to play.

There was Mickey. He was dirty, and he had dried blood on his face and in his hair. He was holding a newspaper with today's date.

They heard men in the background say something to Mickey. They told him to speak—to say something, but be careful.

Mickey looked at the camera.

“I love you, Ian. But no more dates. Please.” The video cut off.

Ian both laughed and cried. He was bringing that man home. There was no other option. And when he did, he would never let go of Mickey Milkovich ever the fuck again.


	12. Angel with a Shotgun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian arrives at mission control and meets the team who has been assigned to #BringMickeyBack. After speaking with them, he feels a sense of calm and comfort knowing that Mickey has the best of the best resources going in to get him. He convinces Anthony to let him join the rescue effort and is given a station outside of the compound. Will he put himself in danger to rescue the man he loves?

Pablo and Ian walked through the door, and Ian was dumbstruck. He was amazed by the organized chaos happening in front of his eyes. The equipment looked like it was taken straight from the U.S. government. There were multiple TV screens with live surveillance, and a wall of photos organized by rank of the cartel members and leaders. Three men were on their phones getting updates. It was a war room, just like in the movies. He was astounded by the effort everyone was making to get Mickey back, and thankful that he had these resources available to him.

Pablo introduced Ian to Anthony, who was leading the operation. They were pulled into a back room that was set up as Anthony's office. He had his own set of equipment and technology, the likes of which Ian had never seen in person: maps, photos, coordinates and more. Honestly, it was more than what he saw during his “stint” in the army.

Both men sat down across from Anthony.  

“Ian, you have given us great information. Our guys have followed Damon and are in position around the compound. It's been pretty fucking easy now that he has Mick’s bracelet on. We now know where he is at all times. They have a few drones ready to go in once we can get them in without being seen. I've mapped out what we've been able to capture so far,” Anthony said, sounding pretty optimistic.

It was the first time in days that Ian felt hopeful. _Real_ hope. He rubbed his hands over his eyes to dry the tears.

“Come here, look at this screen. You see that green dot right there? That’s Damon. He has a pretty good routine going right now. We're trying to see if we can get an eye on where they're holding Mickey so we can get the drone in as close as possible. Once we get close enough, we will drop in a camera.”

“Thank you” was the only thing Ian could get past his lips at that moment.Anthony patted him on the back, knowing what Ian must be feeling.

“We have the BEST men, and the BEST equipment. Time is on our side because that idiot decided to steal Mick’s bracelet, and because of the information YOU gave us. This is exactly what we need in this type of situation in order to recover our hos-…Mickey...alive. We are tracking well. We are going to get him soon.”

Ian nodded and smiled at Anthony. He took in a deep breath, remembering why he flew there in the first place. He jumped out of his seat, startling the other two men.

“I came here to help. I wanna be the one who brings him back. I owe it to him to get him. I _have_ to be the one to get him. Please let me do this,” Ian pleaded with tears in his eyes, not even remotely embarrassed that he was showing his emotions.

“I was in the Army. I've been trained, and I'm a great shot. I can help, and I won’t get in the way. I know how these operations work when it comes to getting one of our guys from the enemy. I'm not going in blind here.” He cleared his throat, realizing the tears were probably not helping his case.

“Pablo told me you wanted to help. Ian, I cannot let you go into the compound. It is far too dangerous, and Mickey would never forgive me if anything happens to you. Can we make a compromise here?” Anthony asked.

Ian nodded. “Depends.”

“You can go, but you will be with Michael, who is stationed in the killshot position.Very close, but OUTSIDE of the cartel's compound.He is leading the operation on the ground.He is an ex-Seal and a trained sniper. He will be the eyes and ears for everyone on the ground. Both of you can keep your eye on the area while the guys go in. I can give you that, but nothing else."

“Okay. Okay, I can do that. Thank you. Thank you for this. Thank you for everything you're doing for Mick.”

“He would do the same for any of us. Now let’s go see if there are any new updates,” Anthony said as they walked back into the main room of the house.

*******

The men stood back in the main room while Anthony made his rounds, talking with each team member. He pulled all the team members aside and brought them over to where Pablo and Ian stood.

“This is Ariel. She has worked with Mick before. She’s going to get you set up with the supplies you need, then take you to the location. Gabriel is getting in touch with Michael now to let him know you will be assisting him in the operation. This is the team you want helping you when these situations arise," Anthony explained.

Once introductions and briefings were over, Ian was ushered into a room in the back to get ready. Once again, he was given clothes, boots, and better equipment than he had in the Army. Once he was suited up, he was brought into yet another room. There were tables covered with cases, and in those cases were guns. Every kind of gun imaginable. He was harnessed and given two handguns, a knife, and an automatic weapon which he had experience firing. His boots were fitted with a tracker, and his back tooth was fitted with a piece as well.  

Ian finally felt useful—the best he'd felt in days. Mateo kept him on track with his meds, and everyone treated him like he was a part of the family.He felt like he was finally somewhere he belonged, even if he was scared shitless.The thought of losing Mickey petrified him, but as far as his health was concerned, he felt pretty fucking good.He had a purpose, which distracted him from having an episode.

“CAMERA ON THE GROUND. EVERYONE, WE HAVE A CAMERA ON THE GROUND!” Ian heard being shouted from the front room, followed by clapping and cheering. With that, everyone ran quickly to the front room.  

“Okay, people. We think this is where our hostage is being held,” one of the team members said, pointing at one of the screens. Ian thought he was going to vomit just hearing those words.

“We saw Damon walking to this structure with food and water. He unlocked the door,threw the items in and shut the door. The building seems to be made with steel. That would explain why we couldn’t pick up a signal.”

“Once Damon left the area, we were able to drop in our drone, as well as a camera. Now we have eyes on the door,” Anthony picked up.

“We need to get everyone into position NOW. You know your positions. You know your jobs. You know the mission. There's no other option here, team. We WILL bring our guy back alive. You got that?” Anthony shouted.

“YES, SIR! ALIVE, SIR!” the team shouted back.

Before Ian got in the truck along with the others, he heard his name being called. He turned around to see a striking woman, whom he had seen in the large room earlier on, working alongside the team.

“Yes?” Ian said, thinking he forgot something.

“My name is Jophiel, and I just wanted to tell you that what you are doing is very brave.I have a really good feeling about this, and I know Mickey will be back with us soon.I have worked on many of these types of operations, and I feel really positive.I just wanted you to know that we  _all_ feel that way.We really do believe he will come back safe and unharmed.I want you to stay calm, and focus only on what is important.You can do this, Ian.I have faith in you.”  She gave him a hug and walked away.

Ian didn’t know why, but just hearing her say those words really did bring him calmness.He felt positive and uplifted.

She was right.He _would_ bring Mickey back safe.

Ian joined the others in the truck, and they took off. Operation Bring Mickey Back was officially a go.

*******

Because Ian was the last to get in the truck, he sat up front with Raphael, the driver. The drive was about 20 minutes from the stopping point, where they would then walk the rest of the way.The walk was about 10 minutes, and they had a few jeeps hidden in the area to escape once Mickey was in their possession. 

“Ian, I have heard a lot about you.Great job with identifying Damon.You not only helped us get to him quicker, but now we know what we are up against. You want to go into this type of situation knowing as much as you can possibly know,” Raphael told Ian.

“I just looked at the pictures and was lucky enough to recognize that tattoo.You really can’t forget that type of identifying mark.It's really because of everyone's hard work and dedication that we've gotten this far, so thank you.I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to Mickey.” 

“Mickey is strong. He's one of the strongest people I've ever met.He is a good guy who was not given a very good start.He changed that though, and that is what matters in the end.It's not how you start, it's how you finish that matters.He is lucky to have someone willing to go to bat for him in this way.”

Ian let out a breathy laugh. “Mickey has saved me so many times, even when I didn’t wanna be saved.I owe him the same.I want him to know he can count on me in the way that I counted on him all of those years.”

“We all make mistakes, Ian.We all do things in life that we are not proud of.Things happen to us that we cannot control, and the way we respond sometimes may not be the best way, but we are all here to learn.Learn from your past failures.You are here now.That is all that matters right now.Be proud of that, Ian.”

“I let him down.He took care of me through my sickness, and I just let him down. I don’t know if I can forgive myself for hurting him that way."

“Mickey told me you were sick, but he never talked about your illness.Do you mind if I ask? Please don’t feel obligated to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable. Though I will say, I've had people tell me that they feel better after telling me about their problems. I like to think that it’s true.”

“Hey, I would do anything to feel better, so why not?I'm bipolar.Type I with mania.Highs and lows.Have you ever heard of it?”

“Yes.I know the disease very well.I’ve known others with the same ailment, and it's not an easy illness to manage sometimes.I’m sorry, Ian.When were you diagnosed?”

Ian told Raphael the short version of a very long story in the time they had before arriving.

“Ian, when you start feeling manic or depressed, can you do me a favor? Give me a call. Mick has my number.I have helped him through a couple of things.I like to think of helping people as my second job,” Raphael said with a smile as they pulled off onto a dirt road.

*******

The walk was not as bad as Ian had imagined.He thought they would be trekking through a jungle, clearing their path with a machete.Luckily, that was not the case. It was mainly dirt and gravel with some brush, but open enough to walk through easily. 

They stopped at the first jeep and went over the plan one more time.They needed someone to be a lookout.Azrael volunteered to stay back, saying something about not being needed for this one.He would be of better use making sure nobody was coming in behind his team. 

They left Azrael back at his station and kept walking, pairing off into groups of two. Ian introduced himself to the guy walking next to him. 

“Hi, Ian.My name is Chamuel.I'm on the recovery team. I think this will be one of the easier recoveries since we are really well-prepared.Getting that camera on the ground was critical, but knowing who's responsible for watching Mickey is even better.And the fact that he has a nice little tracker on his wrist makes it even easier.The place has been very quiet, so I don’t expect too much trouble.And we are lucky they have him so close to the entrance, because their property is over 200 acres.Mick is only a 3-minute jog from the main entrance. This whole scenario really could have been so much worse, so we are very fortunate. I hear you are going to be in position with Mike.He will have eyes on the area…never lets us down.Having you there is an added bonus."

“Wow.That’s great to hear.I didn’t realize how bad it could have been.I mean, it’s still bad...they have Mickey, and who knows what they've done to him.”

“They think Pablo is getting everything together to meet their demands.They know he's going to want to see Mick again before he hands anything over to them.Trust me, they won’t hurt him yet.And before they can, we will already have him back safe.You’ll see.”

The more Ian talked with the team, the more his stress and nerves were disappearing.He felt at ease in a way he didn’t even think was possible, especially in a situation like this.He knew he would be seeing Mickey soon.There were no longer any doubts in his head.They just needed to go pick him up, then put a bullet through Damon’s head.

They passed three more jeeps on their way, which were pointed out to them as they got closer.Each group was assigned to a jeep, depending on the circumstance. Whoever had Mickey would be in the first jeep, and the rest would fall in line accordingly. If there was an injury, then Mickey could go to jeep number two, as long as he had the strength or could be carried. 

As they neared the complex, Ian was taken away from the group and led to Michael. The rest were stationed around the complex in various locations.There were four men in the recovery group, and four men that would stay back, but go in behind them if needed. 

When Ian reached Michael, he was giving the team an update.There were 3 men inside the complex in the front, one of which was Damon.The rest of the group left over an hour ago, and the team tracked them to one of the cartel's known watering holes.There were seven men who were back far enough in the complex to not worry about. That news was reassuring as long as they went in quickly, efficiently, and as quietly as possible so the group in the back wouldn't even know they were there.

Ian got into position and looked through the scope on his gun to assess the area.He followed it around while listening to Michael’s description, and he found what was thought to be the holding area.He got butterflies just knowing that he was so close to Mickey.His nerves were calm, and he was actually excited to see the man he loved. He knew that would be the result in just a matter of minutes.

*******

It was time.They sent two of their guys in to get the two cartel members who were sitting at a table playing cards.Damon was in the bathroom, so it was time to go. Michael gave the go-ahead, and Ian watched as the two men stealthily made their way into the complex.

 _If these were the lookout guys, they were doing a real shit job_ , Ian thought.He expected guards and guns, and all kinds of trouble.Michael told them that was further back in the complex.The front area was more for show, in case anyone who wasn’t bought and paid for by the cartel wandered into the area.

Before Ian knew it, he saw the two men playing cards' heads hit the table.The guys were on them within seconds, dragging them away and restraining them.They had them out of the way so that if anyone were to pull in right now, nothing would look out of place.

That left one man.The motherfucker who took Mickey. 

That thought quickly changed, however, as they saw another car pull up with two other men.From what Ian could assess, they seemed to be drunk.At least they had that going for them.Michael got confirmation that the men were not from the bar, as that was their first concern.They didn’t need the entire cartel to show up right now.

Damon came out of the bathroom and started talking to the two men that had just arrived.He was laughing and joking with the new arrivals. 

Ian couldn’t understand what he was saying, but Michael could, and he relayed it to the team as he heard it come through.

Damon told the men that he was going to check on the “gringo,” and then he started to walk away from them. Michael advised the team that it was time. 

Two of their men went inside with their sights set on the drunks, while Chamuel went in, concentrating solely on Damon.They also had Ian and Michael ready to take Damon or the others out, if needed. 

Ian could see the two men already approaching the drunks, who were only interested in getting even more drunk. Ian didn't pay much attention to them; they had it under control, plus they had other team members watching them. Chamuel was heading in to get Damon, and Ian's eyes were fixated on him.They were all receiving updates on Damon’s whereabouts as he was making his way back to the shed. 

Ian saw Damon carrying two bottles of water.He approached the shed then set the bottles on the ground to retrieve his keys.Chamuel was now close enough to act once the door was opened.Ian and Michael were ready, too.

*******

Ian saw the door open, then everything happened so fast.Before Chamuel could get to Damon, he saw Mickey fly out the door and into Damon, slamming him into the ground. Mickey was hitting him with something, and Ian saw blood.Damon was making too much fucking noise.Chamuel pulled Mickey up while he restrained Damon, covering his mouth.It was too late though, as the two drunks had already heard the commotion.Ian heard gunfire, and saw that one of their team members had been hit in the leg.He then saw Chamuel laying on the ground in front of Mickey, gripping his shoulder. 

_FUUUCK._

The guns didn’t have silencers, so they were insanely loud.They had to get this done and get the fuck out of there quickly, before all hell broke loose. 

Ian threw down his rifle and ran down the hill as fast as he could.He scaled the fence like he was jumping over a puddle.Adrenaline was coursing through him at an alarming rate.He knew that someone would need to help him get both Mickey and Chamuel out of there.The other guy had his injured partner and was getting him out of the complex, handing him to the others. Two of the men on reserve ran in to help with the situation, and the rest were still on standby.They didn’t want to have all of their men inside, in case the group from the back was heading their way.

As soon as Ian’s feet hit the ground, he was running to Mickey.He could see Mickey was slumped over, but he was awake and uninjured. He was probably trying to process what the fuck just happened.

Then their eyes met.

Ian grabbed Mickey as the other two men arrived and tended to Chamuel.Ian had one arm wrapped around Mickey, supporting him, while his other arm reached for the gun in his holster. He shot Damon directly in between his eyes, while one of the guys removed Mickey’s bracelet from Damon's wrist. Ian put the gun back in his holster then picked Mickey up, bridal style.

Mickey was trying to speak, but was not able to form words yet.He just kept staring at the redhead in disbelief.

As they made their way to the entrance, Ian was running with Mickey, carrying him like they were newlyweds.If Mickey had his wits about him, this would so not be happening.Ian kind of loved having him in his arms like this, especially right now.

Ian was talking softly to Mickey as they made their way towards the jeep.The two injured men needed to take the first one, so Ian carried Mickey to the second.

“Mick, it’s okay. I've got you. You're safe now.We're gonna get you home, baby.I’m gonna take care of you, okay?I promise you I will take care of you. I _want_ to take care of you,” Ian told Mickey, repeating the sentiments over and over for him.

** *** **

Once they got to the second jeep, Ian and Mickey took the backseat. Raphael and Michael were in the front. Everyone was quiet as they made their way back to the main road after they were given the all-clear by the men on lookout. 

Ian had Mickey wrapped up in a blanket now, and he had given him a Gatorade to help him rehydrate.Once they were on the main road and 10 minutes into the drive, Mickey finally mumbled some words. Ian had to ask him to repeat them, because he said them so low he could barely hear what he was saying.

“You saved me.”

“No, Mick. _You_ saved _me_.Over and over again, you saved me.” He kissed Mickey on the head, holding him close.

He heard Mickey say "hungry." Ian reached into his cargo pants and pulled out a Snickers bar, unwrapped it, and handed it to Mickey.

“I figured you could use this,” Ian told Mickey. He was rewarded with Mickey humming “mmmm” as he ate the candy bar. 

It was the best sound Ian had ever heard in his life. 

*******

They pulled into mission control to a crowd waiting outside.Ian helped Mickey out of the van, and applause erupted.They made their way into the house while the team patted Mickey, gave him a hug or handshake, or threw him a smile, wink, or thumbs-up.

They brought Mickey to Anthony’s office to sit down.After everyone had their chance to welcome Mickey back, they were preparing to get back on the plane to go home. Ian stepped out while Pablo had his moment with Mickey, as well as Anthony.He wanted to give them privacy after all they did for him.

Ian walked around, hugging everyone and saying his goodbyes.He promised to keep in touch, and was excited to find out that a couple of his favorites were actually on Mickey’s team. Ian thanked them a million times, knowing that no matter how many times he said it, it would never be enough.

The team loaded Mickey into the car with Pablo and Ian.They had a driver take them to the airport.

Pablo called Mateo to give him the news, and he hung up from the call in tears. Ian could feel the emotion from Pablo's tone during the call—they were happy tears. 

Mickey had fallen asleep on Ian’s shoulder.The rest of the car ride was quiet, saved for silent prayers of thanks.

Once they got to the airport, Ian picked Mickey up out of the car and carried him onto the plane.He sat him in a seat and buckled him in with a blanket.He sat down next to Mickey, who had woken up, and kept his eyes on him the entire time. Ian grabbed Mickey’s hand and squeezed it, but didn’t let it go. And with that, he was back on Ian's shoulder again.

Pablo was in the back of the plane, requesting plates to be made for the men.He then called his wife, and he stayed on the line with her for the rest of the flight. He wanted to get back to his family, hold on to them, and never let go. Ian thought he knew what Pablo was feeling.

The food arrived but Mickey was out cold, snoring on Ian’s shoulder.He was going to wake him up, but thought better of it.He could eat when he woke up.He probably needed to sleep more than anything.

Ian, on the other hand, scarfed down his food like he hadn’t eaten in a week.He took his meds and snuggled up next to Mickey.

The chaos and emotions from the day's events finally caught up with Ian, hitting him all at once. Then came the tears.

Tears of relief.

Tears of joy.

Tears of gratitude.

Tears of shock.

He held on to Mickey tightly, and let them fall.


	13. Halo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 12 AND 13 have been updated. Go back and read 12 with this update before you start 13. 
> 
> This is more informational, and is barely a chapter. I just wanted to provide a little insight on the team that Mickey had helping him. They really were "heaven sent." 
> 
> Some of you may have not picked up on their names.

**Archangel Michael**

Archangel Michael, whose name means “he who is like God,” is viewed to be the lead archangel. He is Earth’s representative of the all-encompassing strength of the divine. He’ll boost your resolve, guide you to new opportunities, and help you learn from past experiences. His main role is to promote courage, bravery and justice. He also works to keep evil spirits from leading us away from our spiritual path. He is associated with protecting and healing, and being a leader of God’s army. Archangel Michael is concerned chiefly with protection, truth, integrity, courage and strength.

 

** Archangel Raphael **

Archangel Raphael, whose name means “God heals,” is the archangel designated for physical and emotional healing. He not only helps with healing individuals, but also helps healers with their healing practices. He can reduce addictions, injuries and illnesses, with cures often occurring immediately. Archangel Raphael aids in restoring and maintaining harmony and peace. He is also the patron saint of travelers, watching over them to ensure a safe and harmonious journey. Working in conjunction with Archangel Michael, Archangel Raphael helps to clear away fears and stressors which may be adversely affecting your health.

 

**Archangel Gabriel**

Archangel Gabriel’s name means “God is my strength.” One of the two archangels specifically named in the Bible, she is often portrayed holding a trumpet, and as the only female archangel. As the patron saint of communications, she is the messenger angel, acting as a messenger of God. She helps writers, teachers, journalists and artists convey their message. She also assists in overcoming issues of fear or procrastination in communication, as well as in all areas related to children.

 

**Archangel Ariel**

Archangel Ariel, whose name means “lion or lioness of God,” is the patron saint of animals and the environment. Her role is to protect the Earth, its natural resources, ecosystems and wildlife. She is always available with support and guidance for any activities which involve healing, rejuvenating, and/or maintaining our environment. She assists in healing animals, working closely with Archangel Raphael. It is believed she also works to oversee the order of the physical universe, including all planets, the sun, the moon, and the stars. When seeking to learn about connecting more deeply with nature while hiking or exploring, she assists in providing insights and opportunities in order to expand your awareness and experience. She can also be especially helpful in ensuring your needs for food, water, shelter, and other supplies.

 

**Archangel Jophiel**

Archangel Jophiel, whose name means “beauty of God,” is the patron saint of artists. She helps us to see and maintain beauty in life, and supports us in staying positive and thinking beautiful thoughts. She assists us in slowing down and bringing calm to our lives, healing negativity and chaos. She helps to tame your ego, and brings organization to a place or situation. When seeking wisdom or a shift in perspective, she is the one to call to uplift you and help you see things from a different point of view.

 

**Archangel Azrael**

Archangel Azrael’s name means “whom God helps.” However, he is often referred to as the “Angel of Death.” Azrael meets souls and helps them in the transition to death, in addition to helping newly crossed over souls adjust. He also helps loved ones who are still on Earth in dealing with their grief and processing their loss. Archangel Azrael helps ministers and spiritual teachers from all belief systems and religions in their spiritual counseling, and assists grief counselors to shield themselves from absorbing pain. He assists in all kinds of transitions and endings, not just those involving loss and death. He also helps with transitions related to relationships, careers, addictions, etc., helping us to navigate as smoothly as possible through life changes.

 

**Archangel Chamuel**

Archangel Chamuel’s name means “he who sees God.” This archangel has been called by many names throughout history, and is therefore sometimes confused with other angels. His mission is to bring peace to the world, and as such, he protects the world from fear and lowers vibrating, negative energies. He is believed to have all-knowing vision, seeing interconnectedness between all things. Archangel Chamuel assists us in finding the strength and courage to face adversity when it seems we have none left. He can also help to find items that are lost, to find important parts of our lives such as purpose, a love relationship, a new job, supportive friendships, and solutions to problems. Lastly, he also helps heal anxiety, bring peace, and repair relationships and misunderstandings.


	14. The Cure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is the week after Mickey’s rescue, and he is starting to feel like himself again. He asks Ian to do something neither of them has ever done before.

“Mick. Hey, Mick, wake up. We’re home,” Ian whispered to Mickey when the plane came to a stop.

Mickey slowly came to and smiled when he saw Ian’s face. Ian helped Mickey off the plane and to the car. He snuggled back up to Ian once they were inside the car, laying his head on his shoulder. He dozed off and on for the duration of the ride back to Mandy’s house.  

Once they arrived, Ian helped Mickey inside to an anxiously awaiting sister and best friend. A crying Claude was there, too. Claude had called Pablo and the others to try and find out what was going on, considering he hadn't heard from them or Mickey since that last worrisome call he received. They kept their answers vague, only because they had to. Claude wasn't let in on the real situation until after the fact, which upset him since Mickey was practically his son. However, once Pablo explained the magnitude of the situation, and that it was also for Claude's own safety that he limited their contact, Claude fully understood, and couldn't thank Pablo and his team enough for keeping his boy safe.

Once they all saw the state Mickey was in, they quieted down, gave him a hug and told him they were so happy he was home. Ian brought Mickey upstairs and sat him on the bed.

“Do you want a shower?” Ian asked.

“Yes. Please, yes,” Mickey responded. He was depleted of energy and exhausted. He needed food and rest, but he wanted to be clean first. 

“Do you want me to help you?”

Mickey nodded.

Ian went into the shower to turn the water on, then pulled the shower stool to the center so Mickey could sit down. Once he had the shower at a good temperature and the towels ready, he went in to undress Mickey. He was bruised, bloody, and dirty. Ian took his clothes and put them in a pile on the floor, having every intention of throwing them in the garbage.

Ian helped Mickey to the shower and sat him on the stool, then undressed himself and stood behind Mickey. He washed Mickey's hair first. His head was leaned back against Ian while Ian gently washed the blood from his head, careful not to reopen the wound.  

Ian repeated this process until the water ran clear. He took a washcloth, soaped it up, stood in front of Mickey, then started to carefully wash his face. Mickey closed his eyes and let him. Once Ian was happy that his face was clean, he bent down to place a kiss on his forehead. Mickey opened his eyes and looked at Ian.

They stared for a while, taking each other in. Once Ian stood straight up, Mickey’s eyes landed on his chest. He squinted his eyes like he was not sure he was seeing what he thought he saw.

Ian seemed to read his thoughts and ran his fingers over Mickey’s name tattooed across his heart.

“You've always been in my heart, Mick. You always will be, so it just made sense to have you there permanently. It is all yours anyway...just made it official by putting your name where it belonged.”

He saw the tears form in Mickey’s eyes as he motioned for Ian to help him up. Ian helped Mickey up then wrapped his arms around him, helping to support his weight.

Mickey ran his fingers across the tattoo. He looked up at Ian and they kissed softly.  

“You saved me,” Mickey whispered.

“I told you, Mick. You saved me.”

“Not just tonight. You saved me from living a life that would have been a lie. You gave me the courage to face my father. You gave me something to look forward to every day. I never had any of that before. I just went through the motions of my life, which was a living hell. Every day, before you. You saved me, too.”

Now it was Ian’s turn to cry. They held each other under the warm stream of water. Ian continued to clean Mickey’s body. When they were done, Ian dried him off and put him in bed, asking if he wanted anything to eat.

“Tired. C’mere,” Mickey responded.

Ian complied and laid behind Mickey, getting as close as possible. Mickey didn’t think that was close enough, so he tried to back up more. Ian took Mickey’s hand and interlaced their fingers. Sleep came quickly for them both.

*******

The next week was a blur for everyone. Mickey stayed at Mandy’s with Ian, who continued to take care of him and nurse him back to health. Mandy and Mateo helped by cooking Mickey’s favorite meals, making them juice concoctions so that Mickey could replenish his “micronutrients,” and just being there for support. They would congregate outside or in the living room each night, talking about everything and nothing. Mickey shared minimal details with his family about the abduction, but shared every detail with Pablo and his team. Pablo gave Mickey as much time as he needed before returning, if he chose to return at all, leaving it completely up to Mickey to decide.

Mickey and Ian walked the beach every night after dinner. They would stop to watch the sunset, then head back to the house. There weren’t any questions or talks about where they were, or what was next in their relationship. Mickey slept in Ian's bed every night, but there was only cuddling and spooning with no shenanigans, neither of them even trying. They both knew that it wasn’t time yet. Even without the talk or sex, they felt closer to each other than they ever had in their entire relationship.

After about a week, Mickey was getting tired of all the babying from everyone. He needed to get out of Mandy’s house, but he wasn’t quite ready to go back to his own. He also needed to talk to Ian about the living arrangements going forward. He actually wanted alone time with Ian with no distractions. They never had that opportunity before, and if ever there was a time they both needed it, it was now. Mickey called Pablo and asked if they could stay in their vacation house in Riviera Maya for a week. Pablo told him to take it for two. He would also arrange for them to have a staff and to take the jet, with everything else being taken care of by Pablo.

They were all outside after dinner, and it was time for Ian and Mickey's nightly sunset walk. They excused themselves and made their way down the beach to their spot. Mickey gently grabbed Ian’s hand in his and interlaced their fingers together. The walk was only about 15 minutes, and it was breathtaking. They passed residential houses that were similar in size to M & M’s, each a different vibrant color. The ocean was made up of the most spectacular colors of blues and greens—aqua, turquoise, emerald, a little white here and there—either in the form of waves, or because the ocean was so clear you could see straight through to the white sand.

They sat side by side like they now did every night and waited for the show. Each night they would get to see the brilliant colors reflecting off the ocean surface, and throughout the sky as far as they could see. The sun would begin to dip and make its way through yellow, orange, peach, purple, pink, red, blue and green waves of color, depending on what Mother Nature felt like sharing that night. Tonight, the sky was the most brilliant blue with a thin veil of puffy clouds in the distance, shading the sun ever so slightly. The blue faded to yellow, then orange, then red, down to the vibrant blue ocean. It was perfect. Every one of them was perfect.

As the sun began to dip into the ocean, Mickey turned to Ian, who looked breathtaking with the colors reflecting off of him. He had a smile on his face and he looked happy, calm, at ease. Mickey loved this look on Ian. Peaceful.

“Hi,” Mickey said softly to get the redhead's attention.

“Hi,” Ian said smiling at Mickey, looking at him with pure adoration. This look had been glued to his face ever since they landed.

“Would you like to go on vacation with me?” Mickey asked.

“Vacation? I feel like I'm already on vacation. Where do you even go on vacation from here?” Ian laughed. “I'll go anywhere with you, Mick.”

Mickey smiled and bent over slightly to kiss Ian gently on the lips.

“Pablo and Sylvana have a vacation home on the beach in Riviera Maya. I went with them once, and it was absolutely amazing. There was so much to do, but I was on duty so I didn’t get to do any of the things I would have liked. Pablo is letting us stay for two weeks. His staff will be there, and he's stocking the house with food and drinks, and flying us in the jet. He has a couple of vehicles that we're welcome to choose from as well. He has jet skis and a 40-foot catamaran, as well as a sailboat. The captain will be available whenever we want to use either. What do you think?”

“Absolutely not. That sounds horrible. I can't believe you would ask me such a thing. OF COURSE I'LL GO WITH YOU!” Ian laughed and pulled Mickey into a bear hug.

“Good. I can’t wait to spend time with you, Ian.” Mickey said softly, giving Ian goosebumps.

“Mickey, seriously though. That sounds incredible, and there's nobody else on this planet that I would rather experience this with than you,” Ian whispered.

They held onto each other for a few moments, then Mickey started telling Ian all of the things they could do, if Ian wanted to. He sounded like an excited kid going to Disney World for the first time.

“They have these underground crystal caves with these like, hanging icicle things. And the water is green, or turquoise, or maybe both colors. I don’t know, but it looked really cool. Or, we can swim and snorkel an entire underwater system of caves. There are all kinds of ruins like you see in the movies and shit—the kind that look like stairs that lead up to the top of a pyramid. We can go ziplining through the jungle or over the ocean. We can fish or go out and see the whale sharks. They have horseback riding on the beach, we can take the jet skis out, and we can do sunset cruises on the boats. Anything you wanna do, we can do it. And, if you're interested, no pressure or anything...but they have some really good diving from what I hear. Claude told me all about it, and it sounds amazing. But, we don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Mickey said, finally taking a breath.

Ian was grinning from ear to ear listening to Mickey go on and on about their vacation. Truth is, Ian would be happy at a Motel 6 in the middle of Mexico, just as long as he was with Mickey. But this was fucking amazing, and to hear the excitement come from Mickey like this was a gift, and something he didn’t know was one of his favorite things until he heard it come from those beautiful lips.

Seeing Mickey radiate joy and excitement, able to be free and be himself. Becoming himself, because he had grown so much since Ian saw him last. He was perfect, and it made Ian’s heart swell.

“I would love to do any and all of those things with you, Mick, including diving. You make me feel safe, and I'd like to try it with you because I trust you. For the record, I wouldn’t go with anyone else. Everything sounds amazing. I can’t wait to spend time alone with you,” Ian said.

At that moment they were both so excited, happy, and filled with anticipation. Ian moved in to kiss Mickey, who was quick to reciprocate. He kissed him slowly and barely at first, deepening it more and more as their breaths became heavier. Mickey opened his mouth, allowing Ian’s tongue entrance, and he met it with his own. They rolled over each other again and again, loving how each other tasted, trying to fill up on that taste. Their breaths got heavier, which turned into panting. Ian put his hand gently on Mickey’s chest, barely pushing him back, more so to get his attention.

Mickey pulled back. They looked at each other and laughed.

“There's nothing more that I want to do right now than to kiss you like this, but let’s wait until the right time and place. Because if we go any further, we won’t stop, and I wanna worship every inch of your body for as long as I want,” Ian whispered seductively into Mickey’s ear.

Mickey practically moaned, and that statement didn’t help the situation that had already started to develop in his shorts.

“Is that okay, Mick?” Ian said lowly as he ghosted over Mickey’s neck, just below his ear.

“Yeah...yeah. That’s…alright. It’s…that’s good. But…you're gonna have to move over there (pointing at a rock about 10 feet away) right now, otherwise all bets are off,” Mickey said, out of breath from arousal.

Ian laughed and pulled back to peck Mickey gently on his mouth before standing and putting his hands up to help Mickey stand.

*******

During their walk back they talked about all the things they wanted to do on vacation, besides the obvious. Ian asked Mickey when they were leaving, and he told him they would leave on Sunday morning. Pablo needed to give the staff a couple days to arrive to make sure everything was in order for them.

They both laughed at the utter absurdity of that statement. If you would have told either of them that this would be their future while they were still in Chicago, they would have thought you were out of your fucking mind.

After bringing Mandy and Mateo up to speed on their plans, they all sat around the fire and talked. Pablo and Sylvana joined them for late night drinks. They had taken some time off as well after the abduction in order to spend time together as a family.

Mickey enjoyed spending time with this group. He felt comfortable around them, never being judged. He knew they had his back and would move the earth, moon, and sun for him; they already did, actually. He loved seeing Ian get along with everyone, too. He fit in like a missing puzzle piece, and Mickey no longer felt like the third wheel.

The group made plans for the next day to do something fun together. They never had time off together to do that, so this was a perfect opportunity. They decided they would take a boat out for the day to enjoy the sights, since Ian and Mickey were never able to have their day together. They decided on what each of them would bring; it had to be something they could do as a group that would be fun for everyone. Mandy and Mateo were bringing Cards Against Humanity, Pablo and Sylvana were bringing the tequila, and Ian and Mickey were bringing a surprise. Fuck, Ian didn’t even know what it was when Mickey made that announcement.

After a nice evening together, everyone headed back to their respective rooms, while Pablo and Sylvana headed home. Once Ian and Mickey were upstairs in their room, Ian asked Mickey about the surprise. Mickey told Ian that since he can’t drink, he would bring something else he could enjoy, and that Claude had just what he needed.

They both undressed down to their boxer briefs and snuggled in for the night. They fell asleep happy and peacefully, looking forward to what the next day would bring, spending time with their family.


	15. Say You Won’t Let Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mickey, Ian and the gang spend the day on the ocean, and Mickey gets Ian a unique gift.

The sun was starting to brighten their room and warm their faces. Ian found that to be the best way to wake up—no alarm, no loud Gallaghers—just him and Mickey breathing, the sounds of the ocean, and the warm sunlight on their skin. Each morning he woke up with Mickey felt like a dream. He couldn’t believe that the man he loved was in his arms. Even worse, he couldn’t believe that he ever made a decision that would include Mickey not being in his life. It just didn’t make sense to him, because it made no sense.

He felt his love starting to stir, so he placed gentle kisses on his neck and back. They were tangled up, as they usually were, with their fingers laced together.

“Mmmmm. That feels good. Good morning. How’d ya sleep?” Mickey cooed.

“Best sleep of my life.”

Mickey grinned. “You said that yesterday.”

“Well it was true yesterday, and now it’s true this morning. Each day just gets better with you, Mick,” Ian said, waiting for a snarky response.

“I love you, Ian.”

Ian didn’t expect that response. The last time Mickey said those words was on the proof-of-life video that was sent to Pablo, but Ian thought Mickey was just under stress at the time. Though he loved hearing him say those words, it wouldn't feel official until Mickey said them to him once they were together.

“I love you too, Mick. So, so much.”

They lay in bed for a while until the smell of coffee made its way under their door.

“Let’s go, Fire Crotch,” Mickey said jokingly.

“Speaking of which, when do we get our dog back?” Ian asked.

“Oh, she’s _our_ dog now, huh? When did she become _our_ dog?”

“We bonded when uhh...you know. We didn’t leave each other's side unless Mirabel was here.”

“Figures you two would get along. Damn gingers.” Mickey laughed. "She's gonna stay with Mirabel until we get back from vacation. That dog loves her, and she spoils her rotten."

With that, they both headed downstairs to congregate in the kitchen, which had become their morning ritual.

*******

Everyone leisurely ate breakfast then started packing up for their day trip. Mickey made Ian bring two tubes of sunscreen for them both. While Ian was packing, Mickey and Mateo paid Claude a visit to pick up Ian and Mickey's contribution for the day.

“Do I wanna know?” Mateo asked, already knowing.

“You’ll know soon enough, asshole,” Mickey replied, knowing he already knew.

Once everyone had all of their shit together, they loaded up then piled into Mateo’s Land Rover. The marina wasn’t too far away, and the drive featured a beautiful view of the ocean.

Mandy was controlling the radio and Mickey was bitching, which only made her turn it up more and sing along loudly:

 

_Tu boca tiene la sal, mi cuerpo el azúcar, Tu boca tiene la sal, mi cuerpo el azúcar_

_Y mi corazón está, busca que te busca, Y mi corazón está, busca que te busca_

 

“SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!" Mickey yelled.

“It’s Paulina Rubio, bitch, and it's my jam!” Mandy replied before jumping back into the song.

Ian couldn’t help but side with Mandy on this one, because he liked it too. And of course Mateo jumped in, so the three of them were dancing and singing loudly, which made Mickey yell again before he said _fuck it_ and joined in with them.

“Fuck you, Mick! You know the words better than I do!” Mandy laughed while giving her brother the finger.

“Here’s a bouquet for ya,” he responded, holding up all of his fingers in return.

*******

Once they arrived, they made their way down the dock to the last slip that housed a beautiful 42-foot Power Cat. Pablo and Syl were already inside the boat setting up the tequila bar. The two-person crew was setting up the food that was catered in, and they also set out drinks for the group. Once everyone was settled in with a drink in hand, the captain made his way down to give his obligatory speech about safety, and to discuss the agenda for the day.

Once the boat pulled out of the marina, they were on their way. It was a perfect day to be on the ocean. The captain had worked for Pablo in the past and they were great friends, so the agenda was always tentative as well as their time on board.

“So we brought the tequila and Mandy and Mateo brought cigars and Cards Against Humanity. What did you two bring? And why am I almost afraid to ask?” Syl asked Ian and Mickey.

“Ian baked a tray of his special brownies, and we brought some extra ingredients, too,” Mickey said as he tossed a bag on the table.

Mandy and Mateo started laughing, and Pablo had a pretty good idea of its contents. Syl, being a little more naive, had no clue what to expect.

“Is this what I think it is?" she asked.

“Well, depends on what you think it is,” Mickey responded with a shit-eating smirk.

“Is this marijuana?”

They all paused for a moment before they started laughing at her, because not only was she adorably innocent, but who the fuck actually calls it marijuana?!

“Yes, Syl. It is 'marijuana,'" Mickey air-quoted.

On that note, Pablo chimed in. “Given that we normally don’t smoke pot, or at least haven’t since college, this is a special occasion. I don’t want to bring down our day by talking about any event in particular, but I think we are all a little more thankful for each other now, and for the ability to afford what we have. To have days like today with the people we love, and with friends that became our family. So today, we will get high!”

Pablo hollered up to the captain to give him a nod. He wanted to be sure he kept an eye out, as well as stayed a safe distance from other watercraft. Their first stop was Half Moon Bay—a beautiful, private stretch of beach with calm waters. It was the perfect location for a picnic and snorkeling.

Ian and Mickey were the first in the water with their gear. Mickey held Ian’s hand while Ian struggled to put his fins on. Once they were both ready, they held hands and took off towards the small reef close to the shoreline. Ian was nervous as hell, but he would never say that out loud to Mickey, even though Mickey already knew by the hand squeezes he was getting.

Mickey squeezed Ian’s hand to get his attention. “Are you okay? We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, or if you're feeling uncomfortable. We can swim closer to the shore if that's better for you,” Mickey said, concerned about Ian becoming too stressed out.

“I’m fine, Mick. It’s just that I've never done anything like this before, so I really don’t know what to expect. Will there be sharks out here at the reef? Is it really deep? Will we just see fish, or anything else that might freak me the fuck out?”

“Let’s swim back a little bit so we can stand." After swimming a short distance, Mickey faced Ian.

“I’m sorry. I should have prepared you,” Mickey apologized.

“S’okay, Mick,” Ian said with a reassuring smile.

“When we start swimming out to the reef, you will just see sand like we saw for about a minute or two. If you look really close, you may be able to see sand dollars or conch. If you're really lucky, maybe even a sea biscuit or a starfish. Only touch the sea biscuits or sand dollars if they're bleach white. If they're brown, that means they're still alive. If you wanna see a conch, I can dive down and get you one. We can crack it, make conch salad and keep the shell, if you want. But if you don’t, never just drop the conch and let it land as it may. You have to swim back down and be sure to put it back exactly as you found it so that it can crawl again. It's top heavy, so it would just land on its back and starve. Same thing with a starfish. If you pick it up, put it back like you found it. No throwing or dropping. If it doesn’t land well, you just killed it,” Mickey explained very passionately.

“Wow. I'm so impressed that you learned all this stuff, Mick. If we can get a conch, I'd love to keep the shell to remember today.”

“I’ll make that happen. A couple other things...first and foremost, do not panic. I know that sounds ridiculous, but think of it this way: if you're calm, you won't draw attention to yourself from unwanted creatures as easily as if you were in a panicked state. We're out in the ocean snorkeling, and although we're pretty shallow, I'm not gonna lie: there's always a possibility that we could see a shark. Typically it's just nurse and reef sharks this close to shore. Nurse sharks are a brownish color with what look like whiskers. They're not aggressive, and they typically just lay at the bottom or hide in a cave. Reef sharks are more active. You can spot a reef shark here easily because it'll have a black tip fin, which is normally what you would see this close. They're not aggressive either, but they're a lot more curious. They'll swim close to check you out. I'll be with you, so don’t freak out if you see a shark. I'll squeeze your hand if there's any reason to get out of the water, okay?”

Ian nodded.

“Now, if you see a prickly-looking fish, that's a lionfish, and they are fuckers. Poisonous fuckers that will shoot one of their prickly things at you if you piss them off. They're the reason that fish are disappearing, and the coral reefs are bleaching at a fast pace. That, plus the idiots who kick or touch the coral. Touching coral kills it, and it takes hundreds of years to regenerate. Speaking of touching coral, there's fire coral out there. I'll point it out, but it's named after fire for a couple of reasons. Touch it, and it'll set your ass on fire, and it kind of resembles it as well. It's a golden color. Stay the fuck away from it. Got it?”

Ian nodded again, feeling overwhelmed by all of this new information, but also reassured. He knew he was in good hands. No... _amazing_ hands.

“Now all scary shit aside, it is fucking beautiful out there. The coral is so colorful, and it comes in different shapes and sizes. The fish are cool as shit, too. Some fish have big old beaks, and they use them to crunch on the coral. We may see sea turtles and stingrays as well, and maybe even some manta rays. Now, if you're cool, we can go. If not, we can just stay here. It's not a problem at all."

“Nah, I wanna go. Just...don’t let go.”

“Never, Ian.”

They snorkeled for close to an hour. The longer they were out there, the more Ian relaxed. There were no shark sightings, but they did see sea turtles, two manta rays, a ton of fish, and Mickey even got Ian his conch shell.


	16. Because I Got High

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> High times at sea!

Once everyone was ready to get out of the water and off the beach, they all loaded back onto the cat, ready for the cruise portion of the day. They were relaxed and ready for the brownie eating and pot smoking part of the day's agenda.

Now that they all had grown-up jobs, the smoking still happened, but nowhere near as much as when they lived in the South Side. Pablo hadn’t smoked since college considering his career, and Sylvana has never smoked.

Pablo and Sylvana opted for Ian’s “special” brownies as their method of THC delivery, while everyone else wanted to smoke theirs. A few of them decided to play Cards Against Humanity.

“The fuck is this, Mandy?” Mickey asked, having no fucking clue how to play.

“Trust me, fuckwad. This game is right up your alley,” Mandy said while showing Mickey the box and pointing to the “A party game for horrible people” slogan displayed on the front.

“You fucking serious? Shit yeah, I’ll play,” Mickey responded in his pot-induced state.

“Who else? Ian, you’re playing. Mateo, you too,” she demanded.

“I’ll be your partner,” Mateo said, thinking Mandy would take over so he could just relax in his happy state.

“What the fuck ever, asshole. And where the fuck are Pablo and Syl?” she questioned.

“They’re inside, passed out on the couch,” Ian said as he started giggling harder than the situation required.

“Hey Mick, why is SpongeBob the main character when Patrick’s the star?” Ian asked with his bloodshot eyes that were glassed over and a stupid smirk on his face.

“Here, Fire Crotch. Why don’t you go ahead and smoke some more?” Mickey laughed as he threw the bag over to Ian.

“Everyone shut the fuck up so I can tell you how to play. Not that you idiots are gonna listen to me anyway,” Mandy ordered.

“Go’head,” Mickey told her.

“First off, who pooped last?” she asked.

“Who the fuck's business is that, Mandy? I thought we were playing a game, and you’re asking that stupid shit?” Mickey asked.

“This IS part of the game, asshole. Whoever pooped last gets to ask the first question. Questions are on the black cards. Everyone else picks ten white cards, which are possible responses to each question. There's some other shit in here too, but I don’t feel like reading anymore, so let’s just play,” she said.

“Let’s just pretend I pooped last,” Mateo said, grabbing a black card. Mandy finished up handing out the white cards before the first question was asked.

“Whoever has the best answer, which is selected by the person asking the question, gets a point, and they can't know whose response is whose until they pick," she continued.

“Go’head, Matty Moo,” she told Mateo.

“Okay, first question. _I got 99 problems but ____ ain’t one,_ ” he asked. He waited until the high as fuck dipshits read through their cards and were ready.

“Ready!” Mandy yelled.

All three of them read their responses to themselves before handing them over to Mateo, laughing like a bunch of fucking kids saying the word _fart_ for the first time. 

Mateo read the cards. “Okay, well...I have some pretty tough choices here. First off, I'd like to point out that you're all a bunch of fucking perverts. That said, I can pick between the following….wow…lucky me."

"First choice: _my bright pink fuckhole_. Nice, very nice. Classy, too."

"Second choice is: _doing it in the butt_. Well, I can't complain too much about that one,” he said as Mandy slapped him in the arm, although she couldn’t help but laugh.

“Too much information, dick breath,” Mickey shouted in disgust.

“Mickey, my friend, we are way past the point of too much information,” he slurred.

“OOOOOOHHHHHH!!!” Mandy shouted super loudly, causing everyone to jump.

“Da fuck, Mandy?!” Mickey asked.

“I get it!!! The STAR! Because Patrick is a STAR!!!” She laughed hysterically as Ian joined in with the same hysterical laughter.

“What does water taste like?” Mateo asked after he chugged a bottle of water to get rid of his dry mouth.

“LIKE FUCKING WATER,” Mickey shouted.

“Yes, but what does it TASTE like?” Mateo persisted.

“I'm gonna kill Claude if this weed is anything other than weed,” Mickey said to himself but out loud.

“No, Mick, that’s a really good question! Does it taste like NOTHING? Like the absence of taste? And while we're at it, is sand called sand because it’s between the sea and the land?” Mandy joined in.

Mickey pinched the bridge of his nose. “Jesus fucking Christ. Yes, Mandy. That is exactly how sand got its name,” he responded smartly, while everyone else seemed to be deep in thought.

“CAN WE PLAY NOW, EINSTEINS?” Mickey shouted.

“Did we pick a winner?” Ian asked.

“No. We haven’t even finished reading all of the damn answers, for shit's sake,” Mickey said.

“Oh shit...yeah. Last response: _Daniel Radcliffe’s delicious asshole_. Nice. Sounds like a healthy snack, but I'm gonna have to go with _doing it in the butt_ ,” Mateo responded.

“Yeahhhhhh!!! My turn! My turn!” Mandy shouted as she drew a black card.

“What’s my secret power?” Mandy asked. She lit a cigarette, leaned her head back and closed her eyes while she waited for the answers, listening as everyone giggled like idiots again.

“Ready!” Ian shouted.

“Jesus Christ, we're a bunch of sick bitches! Okay, okay...what'll it be, what'll it be? _Blowing my boyfriend so hard he shits?_ Okay...though that would be impressive, that is fucking nasty. _My balls on your face_ or  _powerful thighs_?” she asked.

“OHHHHHH POWERFUL THIGHS! MICK. HEY, MICK! That was yours, wasn’t it? Guess which one was mine! GUESS!!!” Ian said as he poked Mickey on the thigh.

Mickey couldn't help but laugh at how adorable Ian was right now.

“I’m gonna guess _blowing your boyfriend so hard he shits?"_ Mickey responded.

“YES! You knew!!! See, Mick? Me and you. We are here,” Ian said as he pointed between himself and Mickey, giving him the sign like they have the same brain.

Mickey laughed as he picked up Ian's hand and planted a kiss on his palm. “Though I'd like to state for the record, I have never shit while being blown, or during any other sexual activity for that matter.”

"Thanks for clarifying, Mick," Mandy responded in disgust. “I'm gonna have to go with _blowing your boyfriend so hard he shits,_ ” Mandy said, shooting Ian a wink.

“YAY!!! I get to pick! I get to pick!” Ian drew a card while starting to shove another brownie into his mouth, just to have Mickey slap it right out.

“C’mon, Mick. You’re no fun,” Ian said playfully.

“I'm not carrying your lanky ass off of this boat, Gallagher. So let’s start sobering up here, m’kay?” Mickey responded.

“Fine. But I have conditions,” Ian said, wiggling his eyebrows and smiling devilishly. 

“Alright, alright. I approve your conditions,” Mickey responded without even having to ask, because he knew they were of the sexual flavor.

“Hmmm. You have no idea, Mickey. _None_ ,” Ian whispered, but clearly everyone could hear him as Mickey just shook his head.

“Ask the goddamn question, Gallagher!” Mickey shouted.

“Okay, okay! Keep it in your pants, will ya? Well...don’t, actually. But wait…is this even a real question?" Ian asked, squinting at the card.

“Just read it, for shit's sake!” Mateo shouted as he stirred awake from his coma high.

“Alright, jeeeez. _Blank + Blank = Blank,_ ” Ian asked.

“So everyone, pick three cards,” Mandy said.

They all began to shuffle and giggle like simpletons.

“This is our last round,” Mickey said, not wanting to corral the stoned monkeys any longer. Ian opted for kissing Mickey’s neck while he ignored who was putting up which cards.

“Okay, okay!” Mickey said while slapping Ian away from his neck, which was making things happen down south that he really didn’t want happening in present company.

Ian looked down at the cards and started laughing like an idiot. “Are you guys fucking serious? These are actual fucking cards?”

“Couldn’t make this shit up if we tried,” Mandy said.

"Okay then…"

" _My neck, my back, my pussy (bleck), and my crack + friction = exactly what you’d expect_."

 _"Funky fresh rhymes + rap music = tearing that ass up like wrapping paper on Christmas morning._ "

"Orrrrrr….well, this is just gross…"

" _My collection of Japanese sex toys + an erection that lasts longer than four hours = eating a hard boiled egg out of my husband's asshole,_ ” Ian read, gagging and dry heaving at that last part.

“I know which one I'm NOT picking…well, which two really. I’m gonna have to go with _tearing that ass up_ ,” Ian said. He looked up, and Mandy was asleep on Mateo’s shoulder, who was also asleep. Mickey was staring at Ian with a big smile.

“You’re fucking adorable, you know that? I can’t believe how lucky I am,” Mickey told Ian while pulling him close to plant kisses on his forehead.

“No, I'm the lucky one, Mick,” Ian responded, nuzzling into his neck.

With that, they dozed off, both of them ridiculously happy and relaxed.  

*******

They were all woken up by the staff once the boat docked back at the marina. Pablo and Syl had spent the rest of the afternoon sleeping on top of each other in the stateroom, while everyone else passed out after playing Cards Against Humanity and didn’t stir once from their sleep.

“Well! You guys might have been one of the WILDEST tours we've ever had! Seriously, I'll be surprised if I don’t get a complaint from the Coast Guard!” the captain joked.

They all were looking at the captain, then around at each other.

“Christ. When did we get so old?” Pablo asked.

“Speak for yourself, Grandpa,” Mickey shot back as he patted him on the arm and made his way onto the dock. They all said their goodbyes and headed back to their respective vehicles and houses in silence.

Once they were back at Casa de M & M, everyone went in different directions. Mandy went out to the pool, Mateo wanted a shower, and Ian wanted Mickey in the shower. Mickey told Ian he would be right up, but wanted to order dinner first for the group.

*******

Ian was already under the stream of hot water when Mickey got to the bathroom and started to undress. He stepped in and began to soap Ian up.

“Did you have fun today?” Mickey asked.

“I had so much fun, Mick. Thank you for getting me my shell. It’s beautiful,” Ian responded.

“Anything for you, Fire Crotch. I’m glad you like it,” Mickey said quietly as he washed his lover's back.

“Mick, I'm so proud of you. You've learned so much since you came here. You're passionate about things now. You were never like that before,” Ian said while being cut off.

“You were my passion,” Mickey responded.

“ _Are_ my passion. _You_ are my passion,” he clarified.

“You’re mine, too. Seriously. But like, I mean besides me. You have things that you enjoy doing and are passionate about now. You’re different. You’re…content. And the fact that you're allowed to be content, to be exactly who you were created to be, is the greatest gift I could have ever been given. And I am so fucking lucky that I get to experience this with you, Mick,” Ian said with both hands on the sides of Mickey’s face.

He wanted to be sure that Mickey understood the gravity of the statement he was making to him. He was so proud of Mickey, and so happy that he was finally able to be completely free, with or without Ian.

Ian no longer defined Mickey, and Mickey no longer defined Ian.

They were who they were because of each other, of course, but this way was much better. This way, they were able to cultivate a healthy relationship.

This way, they could finally have a real chance at a happy ending.


	17. Fuckapalooza

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chapter name says it all. This is my first, I repeat FIRST attempt at smut, so please be gentle.

The next day started very slow for everyone in the house. Mandy and Mateo stayed in bed until 3pm, only making trips to the kitchen for bottles of water and food. Ian and Mickey were in a little better shape because neither of them had a drop to drink. However, they still took advantage of the lazy day.

“I gotta shower again...think I still smell like the sea,” Ian said as he scrunched up his nose when he woke up for the last time that morning. They had been in and out of sleep all morning, curled up to each other in deep sleep the rest of the time.

“Yeah, me too. And as an advocate for the environment, I suggest we shower together again to save water,” Mickey responded with a small, impish grin.

They both finally rolled out of bed and made their way to the massive bathroom to brush their teeth and help clean each other up again. The shower was enormous with dual heads so that they both could always be under a steady stream of water.

Once they were both naked and under their respective shower heads, their eyes began to wander. They were in more of a sober state now, and the brightness of the day made everything easier to see. Ian noticed that Mickey’s bruises were healing, and they were just barely yellow now. He had marks on his body from years of living in the Milkovich house of horrors, and he still had the bullet marks on his beautiful ass that Ian loved so much, though they had faded quite a bit.

Mickey saw that Ian still had a faint outline of his teeth marks on his left inner thigh. His freckles were also a little more faded than when he saw him last. He stared at his name on Ian’s chest, and his heart swelled. He still felt a tingle in his chest every time his eyes made their way to that spot above Ian’s heart.

Mickey turned around to rinse his face as he also tried to regain what little composure he had with them both standing naked and wet within a few feet of each other.

Ian was admiring Mickey’s muscles as his eyes traveled up and down in appreciation of the hard work Mickey put in to earning that new body. When Mickey turned around, he put Ian's favorite body part on display, which made Ian’s breath hitch, and his dick seemed to be very interested as well.

Mickey always had a beautiful ass. It was magnificently round, and downright edible. Ian had spent a lot of time with that ass, whether it be using his fingers, his tongue, his hands when he would massage it to hear the sounds that he loved so much, or to slap it just to see it jiggle.

He loved that ass. But now, Mickey went and made it a next level 3018 ass.

It still had that beautiful round shape, but now there were two firm, globe-like muscles that flexed when he moved. His back muscles were beautiful, too. He was so strong. His thighs, which were already a gift from God, were now even thicker and more muscular. Ian couldn’t help but imagine them wrapped tightly around his waist as he sunk deep inside of his love. He desperately wanted to be inside of Mickey, thrusting until he hit that mind-blowing spot he knew so well. Ian silently hoped he was still the only one who had the map with the “X” that marked the spot.  

Ian had to push everything he wanted to do to Mickey out of his mind and think about something else. They had waited this long, and they were leaving for their vacation tomorrow morning. He wanted it to be special, so he could wait until then to make it so.  

Mickey seemed to have the same thought, and when he turned back around to face Ian, he started a conversation about packing and getting ready for their much anticipated trip. Ian was happy for the distraction, and the rest of their shower was focused on deciding what they would be bringing with them.  

Both men stepped out of the shower and dried off. Mickey suggested that they head out to the store to pick up some things for their trip. He wanted to pick up a gallon-size jug of lube while they were out, too. He made a joke that they couldn’t come back from vacation until it was empty. Ian agreed jokingly, but in his head he was dead-ass serious. So was Mickey, but he played it off as well. Each man had fantasized about this moment and had plans to tear each other apart, only to put each other back together again before repeating the process over and over. 

 

They woke up early the next morning so they could get cleaned up and ready to be picked up by one of Pablo’s drivers, who would be bringing them to the private jet. Both men were beyond excited, and their moods reflected that excitement. Mickey had already decided that he would leave his walls behind and go into this trip with an open heart, ready to show the affection he always wanted to give, but never could before. Ian was an open book, so they were going in with the same frame of mind, both on the same page.

“MICKEEEEYYY! Look how beautiful the ocean looks from up here! Oh my god! Have you ever seen water so clear?” Ian squealed. 

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Mickey beamed, having seen this view many times, but remembering how he felt the first time he saw the ocean from the sky.

Ian had the window seat, but Mickey was leaning over him so they could both look out the window. He could have easily had his own window seat, but preferred having to snuggle up against Ian to see. Not only that, but his heart squeezed in his chest watching Ian experience this for the first time. He loved watching through his eyes.  

They were served breakfast, and just as it was being cleared, the pilot announced that they would begin their descent shortly. Both men were visibly excited and had butterflies in their stomachs. Once the plane came to a stop, their luggage was being taken out to an awaiting town car. They made their way off the plane and to the car for the final leg of their trip.

The drive from the airport to the house was pretty quick. They passed resort after resort until they arrived at a private driveway that led them down a curved path to the most beautiful home Ian had ever seen. Mickey loved watching Ian’s face light up like a kid on Christmas morning.  

“Mick...” Ian whispered as his eyes were glued to the house in utter amazement.

"Will this do?” Mickey joked, snapping Ian out of his trance.

”Uhh...yeah. Yes. Fuck yes, this will do,” Ian responded.

As the driver unloaded their luggage, two staff members came out to greet them. Tio was a very large, Samoan-looking giant with tattoos covering his arms and neck. He was a teddy bear though, Ian soon learned. His assistant, Ku, was his son. Tio asked Ku to bring their luggage to their room while he led the couple through the house, giving Ian a tour. Mickey had already been on this tour; he knew the house inside and out, considering it was his job to know.  

Ian’s mouth was wide open for most of the tour, letting out random gasps and  _ooooh’s_  and  _ahhh’s_ the further they progressed. The house was impressive; the kitchen and bar were fully stocked, and the main suite was immaculate, set up especially for them. It looked so cozy Ian almost didn’t want to leave... _almost_. The house also had a pool, a jacuzzi, and it was on the beach. It was magnificent.

Once the tour was complete, Tio went over a list of excursions, spa services, asked for any special requests, then gave them both his cell number so he could always be reached. In addition to Tio and Ku, there was also a chef, maid and security team on hand at all times. Mickey was surprised to see one of the guys from his team, but he was thankful he was there. He promised to keep himself invisible as much as he could. Little did Mickey know, there were two others watching the perimeter at all times.   

Tio and Ku left, and the men headed back upstairs to their room to unpack. They put their toiletries away first, hung their nice clothing, then put the rest of their clothing away in drawers. The extra large jug of lube was sitting on the bench at the end of the bed. They already had the discussion about health, and they were both okay with skipping the protection. 

They were on opposite sides of the bed when it hit them—they were both fully unpacked and organized, which meant their vacation had officially begun. Their eyes simultaneously landed on the jug of lube. Mickey cracked first, and Ian followed. They were both laughing about the outrageous size of the container, the obvious sexual tension, how stupidly excited they were, and of course, the nerves.  _Especially_  the nerves. The nervous tension between them was so ridiculously thick, one would think they'd need a fucking machete to cut through that shit.

”How about we get some lunch by the pool and relax a bit?” Mickey suggested, breaking the tension. He needed some time to wrap his brain around what was coming, both literally and figuratively.

”Sounds great, Mick,” Ian said, both relieved and disappointed. He wanted Mickey.  _Bad_. But he was also nervous as hell. He wanted it to be perfect. He wanted to make Mickey feel good. And lastly, he wanted it to last longer than thirty seconds, which he wasn’t sure would be possible the first time. He needed some time to talk himself off the ledge a bit before they slept with each other again.  

Their lunch consisted of a salad topped with jumbo shrimp and the most amazing dressing made from mango and spices. They had a tropical fruit plate covered with slices of delicious local fruits, as well as passion fruit which were cut in half, ready to be drizzled over the sliced fruits. It was nothing like Ian had ever tasted. The perfume from the passion fruit, which added a bit of tartness to the sweet fruit slices, was intoxicating. The water was flavored with mint and citrus slices in a beautiful pitcher. Everything looked beautiful, and tasted absolutely delicious.  

Mickey and Ian were content to lay by the pool and take a nap. They were both slathered in sunscreen, but they were also under an umbrella. The sound of waves crashing, full bellies, and the ocean breeze lulled them both into a peaceful sleep.

*******

Mickey woke first. He stared at Ian for a while once he shifted the umbrella to make sure Ian didn’t get burnt. Mickey kissed Ian on the forehead, and he began to stir.

”I gotta go take care of a few things,” Mickey whispered.

”Nooooooooo,” Ian whined.

”Trust me, you'll be very happy these things are taken care of later on this evening,” Mickey said, giving Ian a look.

”Oh. OH! Okay. Yeah, sure. Go. GO! I'll stay here and relax,” Ian responded once he understood that Mickey needed to prepare for the ass pounding of a lifetime.

Mickey winked and made his way into the house to take care of some important business.  

Ian couldn't keep his shit together for much longer, and the thought of Mickey making sure he was ready for the night ahead was not helping matters. Mickey always made sure that he came to the game well prepared and ready to play.  

After about an hour, Ian decided to start cleaning himself up as well. He found an outside shower stocked with all kinds of cleaning supplies a gay man who loved to be extra could ever need or want.   

He asked Ku to turn on the outdoor speakers so he could shower to music. Ku disappeared and returned with fluffy towels as beautiful sounds echoed through the backyard. Ian couldn’t remember the last time he was this excited to take a shower.   

Ian took his time, thoroughly washing every bit of himself... _twice_. He was in the shower for no less than thirty minutes when he heard Mickey calling him. Ian hollered back, letting Mickey know where he was.   

“Be out in a few!”

“Take your time. I’m just gonna have a drink. Can I get you anything?” Mickey asked.

“Mojito, please!” Ian requested.

Mickey was going to have straight tequila, but fuck it. If Ian was going to be fancy, so was Mickey. He decided on a margarita on the rocks with flaked, smoked sea salt, because that’s how his new family taught him, and fuck him if it wasn’t delicious.   

When Mickey returned with the drinks that Tio insisted on making, Ian had just stepped out of the shower. He had a towel around his waist, and he was drying his hair with another. As Mickey got closer to Ian, he could smell the soap Ian used, and he smelled downright sinful. His towel sat low on his hips, which proudly displayed that beautiful “v” cut which led down to a patch of red hair. He had beads of water still scattered on his skin, and goddamn if Mickey didn’t want to lick every one.  

“Here you go,” Mickey said as he handed the drink over to Ian, who thanked him and took a sip immediately to calm his nerves.   

Mickey looked like a 12-course meal standing in front of Ian. Though he had worn sunscreen, he still had a beautiful glow to his skin. He smelled fucking delicious as usual, and his hair was still a little wet from his shower. He had on tan linen shorts with absolutely nothing underneath, and a white linen shirt with buttons that were barely being used. Ian could’t stop looking, trying not to focus on the thick outline of Mickey’s cock.  

Mickey sipped his drink as he struggled to avoid completely coming apart on the patio.  

“I’m gonna run upstairs real quick and put some clothes on,” Ian announced.

“You look fucking amazing, Mick. I would come over and kiss you, but I wouldn’t be able to control myself right now,” he continued.

“Same, Fire...Ian,” Mickey corrected himself. He didn't want to use nicknames as comic relief tonight. 

“Be right back, baby,” Ian whispered as he walked past Mickey, catching that scent that drove him insane. He barely made it to the room alive, pacing back and forth, trying to figure out what he could wear that would even belong in the same hemisphere as Mickey right now.

He finally decided on a navy pair of linen shorts and a light blue button-down shirt. Once he brushed his teeth, he unmade the bed so it would be one less step they would have to take when they returned. He also poured some of the industrial-size lube into a glass from the bathroom for easier use. On his way back outside, he asked Tio to light some candles and play romantic music in the room.   

Ku followed Ian outside to ask them if they were ready for dinner. Mickey had requested that they keep it light, that way neither of them would be weighed down by a full stomach.  

“You getting hungry?” Mickey asked. 

“Yes! I could eat for sure,” Ian responded, feeling like this was a first date.

They were seated at a round dinner table, facing each other with their drinks in hand.

“You look great, Ian,” Mickey complimented.

“You too, Mick. So goddamn sexy, it hurts a little,” Ian said, honestly.

“I’m feeling the same way, Ian. I’m nervous too, ya know?”

“You are? THANK FUCKING GOD! I thought it was just me!”

“This is a big night for us. Of course I’m nervous. But I’m excited, too," Mickey said with a small, suggestive smile.

“Me too. So excited, I'm afraid I won’t last,” Ian admitted.

“We have two whole weeks. It’s okay. You think I’m gonna last?”

“That makes me feel better actually. Thanks, Mick.”

“Of course. How about we have some dinner, maybe another drink, then head upstairs for the night?”

He looked beautiful with his blue eyes shining through black lashes, as the flickering light of the candle danced across his skin.

“Sounds fucking perfect,” Ian said with a 1000-watt smile.

They talked about things they wanted to do while they were there, which brought them through to dessert. They were served coconut sorbet in a shell with a passion fruit sauce drizzle, and it was heavenly. They ended up sharing it to speed things along.

Once they were finished, they thanked the staff and let them know they were retiring for the evening.

Once upstairs, they opened the bedroom door to find the room lit with white candles as soft, beautiful music filled the air. There was also a champagne bucket full of ice, bottled water and snacks. Tio was a smart man for assuming they would probably need replenishment.

Both men were overwhelmed with excitement and nerves as they stood facing each other, gazing at each other in awe.  

Ian made the first move and stepped forward to close any distance that was between them. He placed his hand on Mickey’s cheek and rubbed his thumb against his skin, slowly looking him in the eyes.  

“So beautiful, Mick. You’re so fucking beautiful. I never told you that enough, and I wish I had. You deserved to hear that.”

“In all honesty, Ian, I don’t think I would have let you. I was a different person back then. Scared. Scared of so many things. My father, my feelings for you, what would happen to us if we came out as a couple. Then the second we did and I accepted it, you were dealt a pretty shitty genetic card, and at that point, all I cared about was keeping you safe and healthy. After that, everything kinda changed, didn’t it?”

“Fuck, I'm so fucking sorry, Mick. I live with that every day of my life. You tried so hard.” Ian dropped his hand to his side with tears in his eyes.

“You had just been diagnosed with an illness that you had to learn to manage. The only thing you knew about this illness was what your mother showed you. You never got to see her medicated or healthy. She showed you the bad parts, and that's all you knew, Ian. You were a scared kid, for Christ's sake. I should have realized that back then,” Mickey said as he grabbed Ian’s hand and held it tightly.

“You were a scared kid, too. You had a father who showed you that what you were was not okay. I never gave you a break. I never put myself in your shoes, Mick. I didn’t do anything but push,” Ian said sadly.

“How about this? We cut each other a break. We both tried. And we tried because we loved each other.  _Love_ each other. Now we know better. Now we both know how to talk to each other. We know that we did the best we could then, and we're ready to do better now. I'm not afraid anymore, Ian. The only thing that scares me now is living _without_ you. Everything else is a cakewalk. We've already gone through the shit. We know what to do differently now. Okay?” Mickey told Ian, pulling him close.

“Okay. I'm gonna show you. I _want_ to show you. Promise. I want you to know how much you mean to me. How important you are to me. From now on, I promise you,” Ian said as he placed his hands on Mickey’s face.

“Show me now, Ian. Show me how much I mean to you right now,” Mickey said with a shaky voice. 

“Okay,” Ian said softly as he closed the distance between them.

He kissed Mickey slowly and softly, with one hand holding his head and the other around his waist. Mickey mirrored Ian's stance, pulling him closer. 

Their slow kisses turned into something deeper when Mickey opened his mouth, allowing Ian’s tongue entrance. They rolled over one another, Ian stopping to suck on Mickey’s tongue and give it a soft bite, which made Mickey moan.  

Ian began to move them slowly toward the bed. Their deep kisses were becoming heavy and hot, forcing them to break apart so they could catch a breath.  

“Off. I want this off,” Mickey panted, hastily trying to unbutton Ian’s shirt.

Ian undid Mickey’s buttons before finishing his own. He could see Mickey’s hands shaking, which made Ian want to wrap him up and hold him until he never felt that way again. 

Once Ian unbuttoned his own shirt, Mickey pushed it off his shoulders, and Ian let it drop to the floor. 

“You next,” Ian said as he pushed Mickey's shirt off his shoulders and leaned in to kiss his neck. What started out slow and tender quickly turned into a heavy, simmering urge in Ian's chest. He needed to be close to Mickey. He needed to close the distance and forget what only time could heal. He wanted him so close, and to never let him go again.  

Mickey pulled Ian closer and held him tight, turning his head to give Ian full access. Ian knew that Mickey felt the same way. 

Ian kissed Mickey and placed his hands on him—one on his neck, and the other on his thigh, pulling Mickey closer so he could feel what he did to Ian. He was so fucking hard, and he wanted Mickey to know that it was for him. That it would _always_ be for him. He was the only one who ever made Ian feel this way—like he was coming apart, and only Mickey could put him back together. 

Mickey rolled his hips against Ian to get some friction going between them. Ian's hands fumbled with his shorts, moving on to Mickey's once he was freed of the unwanted layer that separated them. He was getting closer to feeling skin on skin—his cock against Mickey’s, rubbing slowly as they rolled against each other, driving them both to the point of madness. Finally, fucking finally, the clothes were shed and Ian's cock sprung free, rubbing against Mickey’s hard girth. They both had wetness from the precum they had been leaking. The rolling of their hips started to spread the liquid, causing both of them to shudder at the feeling. Gliding against each other, their breaths hitched and they were panting.  

“Bed. Fucking bed. _Now_.”

Those were the only coherent words Mickey could piece together. Mickey moved backwards, pulling Ian with him until he felt the coolness of the sheets on his back. He pulled Ian flush against him, leaving zero space between their bodies. 

Ian broke away to admire the stunning sight in front of him. Mickey was panting, and his cheeks were flushed. His hard cock was curved against his stomach, thick and heavy, and dripping with excitement. Ian was staring at every inch of him to imprint this image in his mind forever. He couldn’t take it anymore; his cock was throbbing at the sight, aching to be inside of Mickey.

Ian had to have his lips on this man right fucking now. The hunger from their kiss made Ian’s veins fill with heat and want. He could feel the fire pooling in his gut, and he needed to start preparing Mickey before he lost his mind. He ran his fingers down Mickey’s sides, leaving a burning feeling that Mickey was sure would make him combust.  

“Perfect. You're so fucking perfect. You're making me lose my goddamn mind. Can’t wait much longer, Mick. Need you so fucking bad,” Ian panted.

“Please, Ian. Now. I need you _now_ ,” Mickey whined.

That was all Ian needed to hear. He grabbed the lube from the bedside table and rested back on his knees between Mickey’s thighs.  

“Jesus fuck.” Ian could have come right there from the sight of Mickey’s thighs spread wide open. They were thick and muscular, and the lines from his muscles ran all the way up his legs. It was fucking sexy as fuck. Ian couldn’t wait to watch Mickey bounce up and down on his dick while those muscles flexed. He had to push that thought away fucking fast before he really lost it.

Ian added some lube to his thumb and began to rub Mickey's perineum, applying enough pressure to know when he found Mickey’s prostate from the outside. He knew he found it when he heard Mickey curse and saw his dick twitch.  

“There it is,” Ian said lustfully, knowing what this did to Mickey. 

“Shit, Ian, fuuuck...” Mickey murmured as Ian moved his thumb in circles before slowly inserting a finger so he could stimulate Mickey from the inside as well. Once Ian felt his prostate and heard Mickey’s moan confirming the location, he began to rub in sync, making Mickey’s thighs shake as he drew gasps from his lover. Ian watched his stomach muscles tense and release over and over as he continued with the stimulation before bringing Mickey’s aching cock into his mouth.  

“Mmph FUCK, Ian! Ahhh fuck...gonna cum...not gonna last long. Ummph...need you to fuck me, baby. Please...fuck...fuck me...”

Ian released Mickey's cock with a soft pop. He ran his hand up Mickey’s chest while still fingering him and continuing to hit his prostate.  

“You gotta hurry up...please...I need to feel you inside of me...won’t last much longer...” Mickey whined.

With that, Ian backed off of Mickey's prostate as he inserted another finger to begin scissoring him open. An unintelligible sound escaped Mickey’s mouth as he tried to catch his breath.  

“Mine,” Ian growled at that sound that went straight to his dick. 

“Yours. I’m all yours,” Mickey panted.

“Mine. All mine,” Ian repeated as he slowly pulled his fingers from Mickey, whose back arched at the empty feeling. 

“Are you ready for me, baby?” Ian asked as he lowered himself to kiss Mickey softly.

Mickey was too overwhelmed to speak. He nodded and held his breath while he waited for Ian to line himself up.

Ian rested his weight on his elbow as he pushed his cock slowly inside of Mickey. Once he was in far enough, he brought his hand up to Mickey’s and entwined their fingers.   

Mickey was making filthy noises that should be illegal as Ian continued to push inside of his tight heat. Ian had his face buried in Mickey's neck, trying not to hurt his lover as he went deeper.

“Say something. Tell me how good I feel. I wanna hear that I'm giving you pleasure. Am I good for you? Mmph...tight enough? Fuck...right there...you like how I feel around that big cock, Ian?” Mickey whispered in Ian’s ear.  

Ian groaned at those words as he pushed harder until he bottomed out. Mickey had to grasp the sheets to ground himself; he was so fucking tight he could feel Ian’s cock throbbing inside of him. Ian felt every inch as he made his way in, stretching Mickey out so good.

“You feel so good, baby. So fucking good. You’re so good for me, Mick. So tight. Do you feel how hard I am for you? You drive me fucking crazy. So fucking beautiful,” Ian responded while he kept his pace slow to allow Mickey time to adjust to the fullness. 

Mickey continued to grasp the sheets while Ian moved in and out, turning the discomfort and burning sensation into pure fucking pleasure. Once Mickey was used to the sensation, he started rolling his hips in sync with Ian’s. It was driving Ian crazy, so he began to pick up the pace, earning more gasps from Mickey.  

Ian knew how to drive his lover insane, so he planned on using the technique they practiced years ago. He positioned himself at a particular angle in order to rub the head of his cock along Mickey’s prostate. No jabbing, just firm pressure as he rolled his hips back and forth against that sensitive spot. That was what gave Mickey the best orgasm of his life back then. Ian wondered if anyone else had been able to do this to his soulmate. He felt a pang of jealousy at the thought.  

“Oh. Jesus. Fuck,” Mickey muttered between breaths.

“You remember, baby? Remember that night? You came so fucking hard. You were so fucking tight around my cock when you came all over us. I wanna make you feel that again. Can I do that, baby? You think I can do that for you again?” Ian moaned.

The constant pressure, the dirty talk, and the memory of that night had Mickey ready to come any minute now. He felt the warmth pooling in his gut, and his balls were starting to tighten.  

“Yes...fuck, Ian...make me come...” Mickey growled.

Ian groaned against Mickey’s neck as he picked up the pace. He was sucking hard on Mickey's neck, leaving one hell of a mark without a doubt. He knew Mickey’s cock was swollen and leaking, but as much as Ian wanted to wrap his hand around it, he wanted even more to make Mickey come untouched.

The shallow thrusting against Mickey’s spot made him shoot his load hard between them as he cried out Ian’s name.  

Mickey's tightness around Ian’s cock had Ian spilling inside of his lover after a few more thrusts, panting Mickey’s name over and over again until his orgasm subsided.   

Ian collapsed on Mickey while they tried to regain their breaths—both of them sticky and wet with sweat, neither one caring in the least.

                                                             

Ian woke up first the next morning, rolling out of bed so he could take his meds and brush his teeth. He laughed at the state the bathroom was in. The bathtub was still filled with water from the night before, and was surrounded by the snacks the couple brought in with them to indulge in as they both relaxed in their state of post-coitus bliss. He grabbed a bottle of water floating in what used to be ice and brought it back to the bedroom with him. He sat it on the nightstand as he snuggled back into bed next to Mickey. Just then, his love began to stir.

"Good morning, baby," Ian whispered in Mickey's ear.

"Good morning," Mickey whispered back, mid-stretch.

"Last night was amazing, Mick. Best night ever," Ian responded, planting soft kisses on Mickey's neck.

"Best night ever," Mickey repeated, nuzzling into Ian's kisses. "Love you."

"I love you too, baby. So fucking much."

They dozed for a while before deciding to get up and spend some time on the water. They both wanted to go cave snorkeling, and the last excursion left at 12:30.  

                                                              

After a fun day of snorkeling and grabbing lunch in town, they decided to try kayaking on the ocean since it was calm today. The house had several kayaks, and Ku pulled two up onto the beach for them. The couple kayaked, horsed around in the pool, then took a nap together in a double-wide lounge chair with a wicker cover that blocked the sun from their faces.  

"Wake up," Mickey told Ian, who looked like he might be getting a little too much color, despite how much sunscreen he used.

"But I'm so comfy, Mick," Ian whined.

"If you don't get outta the sun soon, the nickname Fire Crotch is gonna take on a whole new meaning," Mickey teased.

"Let's shower, then we can figure out what we want for dinner tonight. Ku mentioned something about a seafood feast. Fresh lobsters and such," Ian replied, getting his second wind thinking about showering with Mickey as well as the delicious food they would soon be eating.

"Here or in the room?" Mickey asked.

"Down here. It's private and sexy, and they have the best soap in there. And...l filled an empty bottle with lube and put it in there, too. Ya know, just in case," Ian smirked.

"Down here it is!" Mickey said, jumping up and running toward the shower.

By the time Ian reached the shower, Mickey had already found the lube and was putting it to good use, preparing himself like he was putting on a Broadway show.

"Fuck, Mick. Do you know what you do to me?" Ian asked as he moved toward Mickey to kiss him softly, not wanting to rush anything since the sight in front of him was way too sexy not to enjoy.

"Tell me, Ian. What do I do to you? You like watching me get myself ready for that big, thick cock? You like how I take that cock, baby?" Mickey whispered in Ian's ear. He could feel Ian hardening against him at the sound of his filthy words.

"Jesus, Mick. You're so fucking hot. You take my dick so good. Such a good boy the way you take it for me," Ian responded as his fingers traveled down to Mickey's ass to swirl around his stretched hole.

"I'll take it from here, baby," Ian whispered.

Mickey moaned as he removed his fingers, making Ian's dick throb and twitch in anticipation.

"Need you, Mick. Need this tight ass right here all the time. _Mine_. My ass, isn’t that right, baby?" Ian growled into Mickey's ear.

"Fuck...yes, Ian. All yours. Your ass," Mickey panted, knowing what was coming next, loving when Ian got like this.

"Hands on the tile. Good boy. Spread your legs a little further. Beautiful...now here's what's gonna happen. I'm gonna get you ready with MY fingers, and if you don't make a sound, then I'll let you have this cock," Ian said, slapping his dripping head against Mickey's hole.

"You got that? No noise. Starting right...now," Ian said as he inserted a finger down to the knuckle, heading right for Mickey's sweet spot.

Without making a sound, Mickey jolted forward. He hit his head against the tile and grabbed the empty towel bar that was inside of the shower. Mickey began to fuck himself back onto Ian's finger, the only sound coming from the shower being the water, plus the sound of Ian's well-lubed finger gliding in and out of Mickey.  

"Ready for another? You're doing so good. Being such a good boy for my cock," Ian said as Mickey pushed back hard to take another finger.

Mickey was breathing through the added pressure, but not saying a word because he needed, not wanted, Ian's cock in him STAT.

"Just one more, baby," Ian said as he pushed in a third finger and began to relentlessly fuck Mickey, making sure to hit his prostate with each pass.

"Mmmmpph," Mickey moaned, trying to keep as quiet as possible, but knowing Ian heard him.

"Go ahead, baby. You can make all the noise you wanna make now," Ian told him.

"FUUUCK.....Ian, please...please fuck me. I need your dick...please...PLEASE!" Mickey groaned and begged, fucking himself back hard.   

"I'm gonna take care of you now, baby. You ready for me?" Ian asked, knowing Mickey was ready to scream.

"YES! So fucking ready...need it NOW," Mickey shouted.

Ian slid into Mickey until he bottomed out, only to pull out completely then slam right back in to fuck him at a relentless pace. Mickey was nothing but moans and whimpers as Ian hit that spot over and over again.

"Fuuuuck...perfect ass...fucking perfect ass," Ian shouted as he came hard inside of Mickey, stilling instantly. Mickey went to grab his aching cock to finish himself off, but Ian swatted his hand away.

"But I haven't come yet. So fucking ready. Please...please let me come, Ian...fucking PLEASE!" Mickey begged.

"Have some patience, baby. You feel my cum inside of you? Can you feel how much you turn me on? I'm gonna fuck you again and make you come so hard. No hands, baby. Be a good boy for me."

Ian turned Mickey around in one swift movement so he could see their reflection in the glass door while still keeping them connected.

"Look how beautiful you are, Mick. Taking my cock so fucking good."

"Ian, please...please! I need to come...so hard for you..."

Ian began moving slowly in and out of Mickey, regaining his hardness at the sight of Mickey's thick cock bouncing with each movement, his face filled with lust and want.

"What do you see, baby?" Ian said as he picked up the pace, growing even harder.

"You fucking me, Ian. Taking care of me so good," Mickey panted, then moaned as Ian hit his prostate dead-on.

"That's right, baby. I'm always gonna take care of you. Make you feel so good. Gonna give you this dick whenever you want it, baby. It's yours. All yours. Only you can do this to me, Mick. Always only you," Ian moaned.

With that confession, Mickey shot his load so hard he painted the glass in front of him with thick white ribbons that kept coming with each of Ian's thrusts.  

Mickey shouted Ian's name over and over again—so loud that he was pretty sure the neighbors, as well as the neighbors' neighbors, could hear him, and he didn't give a single fuck if they did. Ian quickly followed with the same vigor as Mickey thrusted through his orgasm until they were both spent.

"Well...goddamn..." Mickey laughed as he started to regain motor functions that he thought were gone forever.  

"Yeah. Fuck. So fucking amazing. Always so amazing," Ian responded, not yet lifting his head from between Mickey's shoulder blades.

"We're gonna have to send the staff one hell of a thank-you present after this week," Mickey laughed, which caused Ian to start giggling. They were both in a delirious state, just enjoying being there with each other, letting the now cool water wash over them.

 

After their shower, they made their way out to the patio, looking around to see if anyone was within earshot—though anyone within a 3-mile radius was within earshot really, so it was kind of a wasted gesture. Thankfully, nobody was on the patio at least. They headed for the indoor bar, and Mickey began making them drinks. He picked up the house phone and asked Tio to stop in.

A few minutes later, Tio joined them at the bar with a tray of hot hors d'oeuvres.  

"Perfect timing! I'm starving!" Ian said happily as he picked up a shrimp wrapped in candied bacon and dipped it in sauce.  

"Figured you might be," Tio said with a grin.

Ian's face fell flat, and his eyes bulged as he released a barely audible "sorry."

Tio, being the gentleman he was, countered immediately in order to quickly reverse Ian's obvious embarrassment. "All of that snorkeling and kayaking must have really taken it out of you," he said as he winked over at Mickey.

"Oh yeah. That. Yes. YES! So hungry. Mmmm, this is delicious," Ian said, totally overcompensating while Mickey just dropped his head, shaking it and laughing.

"Anywayyyy...Tio, my man. Join us for a cocktail. God knows you've earned it," Mickey laughed.

"Thanks, Mick, but I'm really not supposed to drink while on the job," Tio replied, sounding disappointed.

"How about this, Tio? You don't tell, we won't tell. Deal?" Mickey said, offering a plea bargain and fucking meaning it, because that shit was embarrassing.

"Deal! I could use a fucking drink," he responded, looking over at Ian and giggling at the sudden relief in his expression.

"Pick your poison. You want a mixed drink or something straight? Have you tried this tequila?" Mickey said as he pulled his favorite bottle off the shelf.

"Tequila, straight up. Never tried it, always wanted to." Mickey poured Tio a healthy serving and pushed it in front of him, leaving the bottle on the bar.

"Have you ever tried Tres, Cuatro y Cinco?" Tio asked.

With that, they spent the next hour discussing tequila, while Ian happily stuffed his face with an assortment of appetizers, only running back to the kitchen to grab more for them once they killed the first tray. 

*******

The next week was basically a repeat of the past 24 hours. They had managed to do more activities than either of them expected, while still having enough energy each night to perform their favorite activity. Each night was almost like a theme; one night they would put Fifty Shades to shame, the next was nothing but lovemaking, and the following would be fucking filthy, sticky and messy, each night better than the previous. They were definitely making up for lost time as they fell even deeper in love, which neither of them imagined was even possible.

They were able to talk about anything and everything out in the open without getting mad or upset, and they were fully committed to making things work long-term, although they hadn't said the words formally just yet. They didn't fight at all, which was bizarre, but lovely. Neither one of them was complaining.

As they finished up one of the "best dinners they'd ever had," which every night seemed to be the "best," they headed upstairs to retire for the evening and spend some quality Ian and Mickey time together.  

Once they reached their room, Ian sat on the bench at the end of the bed so he could take his shoes off and change into something less "material-y." As Mickey walked by, Ian grabbed him by the hips, forcing Mickey to straddle his lap. Ian rubbed his thumb over Mickey's lower lip, then returned both hands to rest on his hips, holding him firmly. Mickey took that opportunity to grind down on Ian's growing bulge. All Mickey could think about was riding the hard cock he could feel pressing against his ass, wanting nothing more than to unravel Ian piece by piece.  

"I'm gonna fuck you so hard. Fuck you like you deserve to be fucked. Want you to fill me with that big cock," Mickey said filthily into Ian's ear.

"Oh yeah? You gonna ride me, baby? You want me begging for it? Begging for you to fuck yourself on my dick?" Ian whispered back, all the while kissing and nipping at Mickey's neck.

"Oh yeah. I'm gonna make you scream my name as you come hard and deep in my hot ass. Want all your hot cum in my ass...every last drop...love feeling you shoot your load inside of me," Mickey replied.

"Wanna watch you come while you ride my cock. Watch your beautiful dick bounce up and down. So hard...so heavy...so fucking thick. Love watching that dick get hard off of my cock," Ian growled.

"I wanna ride your cock so fucking bad, baby...but I wanna try something else tonight, too, if you're up for it," Mickey said, feeling a tad nervous.

"Oh yeah, baby? You're such a bad boy, Mick. What are you thinking?" Ian asked excitedly, his curiosity causing his words to escape at a higher pitch. He was so incredibly turned on and anxious to find out what his lover had in mind for them. Mickey never failed to surprise him, so he knew whatever was coming would be fucking phenomenal.

"I wanna ride you, _and_ I wanna fuck you. I want us to switch tonight," Mickey said while Ian sucked on his neck, happy that Ian couldn't see the blush on his face.

Mickey knew that Ian had taken cock while he was away, and that was something that still nagged at Mickey. He wanted to be Ian's last _everything_. He wanted to give it to him so fucking good that he wouldn't be able to see or walk straight for days. It was a pride thing, and he wanted to own that ass he loved so much.

"Fuck yes. That's hot as fuck. Yes, Mick. I wanna do everything with you. I wanna do anything that makes you feel good," Ian responded, and with that, Mickey's dick was as hard as fucking graphene. He could fight wars with as hard as his cock was right now, he was sure of it. _Knock down buildings, break through any safe with one blow_ , he thought, making himself giggle a little at his own pun.

"You okay?" Ian asked, pulling himself off of Mickey's neck to look him in the eyes.

"Never been better. Any preference as to who gets fucked first?" Mickey asked.

"Your idea, your call. I'm just along for the ride," Ian smirked, pun fully intended.

"Okay, tough guy. I'm gonna fuck you first, hard and deep. I wanna bring you to the edge with my dick. I'm gonna bring you to the edge, then I'm gonna ride your cock. Fuck myself on your cock until I come untouched all over your chest. Sound good, baby?" Mickey whispered lustfully.

Ian could have come just from Mickey calling him baby, but yes, that sounded like fucking heaven on earth to him.  

"Fuck, Mick. Sounds so fucking good. Give me a few minutes, okay? I'll be right back," Ian said, helping Mickey off of his lap. He went to the bathroom and closed the door behind him.

Ian was excited, but he couldn't deny that he was also nervous as fuck. He had taken fake dick before, but never dick in the flesh. He was a little worried about Mickey's size, too. Ian was a little longer than Mickey, but Mickey's dick was thick as fuck. Ian's jaw ached after blowing him, so he couldn't imagine how he would feel after taking Mickey's dick in his ass. But, he fucking wanted to. Badly. He wanted Mickey to take his ass so fucking good, and fuck him like he had never been fucked in his life. The thought was so fucking hot, and Ian had gotten off just thinking about it on many occasions. But this was reality, so he needed to calm the fuck down.

He figured he would wash his ass since it would be on full display. 

"Hey, Mick? Can you see if Tio or Ku can bring up that fancy ass bottle of tequila and some more bottled water? Maybe some more snacks, too?" Ian asked, knowing that a shot of tequila would be just what he needed to calm his nerves.

"You okay, Ian? We don't have to do this if you don't want to, or aren't ready," Mickey said, feeling a little disappointed.

Ian flung open the bathroom door and stormed over to Mickey, spinning him around and crashing his lips to his. He kissed him so hard and deep it took his breath away. Eventually Ian broke their kiss, and he looked Mickey dead in the eye.  

"I want you so fucking bad, Mick. I wanna feel every inch of you inside of me. I want you to have all of me. I'm all yours. Only yours. I can hardly wait for you to fuck me. So no, I don't wanna wait. I do, however, wanna clean up a little and take a fucking shot so I can take this thick cock," Ian said as he grabbed Mickey's dick in his hand and held it firmly.

"Whatever you need, baby," Mickey said, pulling Ian in for another kiss. "Go. Clean up. Do whatever you need to do. I'll call Tio to bring us some supplies," Mickey winked and headed toward the phone so Ian could go do what he needed to do to get himself ready.

"Love you!" Mickey shouted before picking the phone up to dial.

Ian smiled. His heart was so fucking full and in love with this man. He was fucking perfect. Ian turned to go back to the bathroom to clean up a bit and make sure he was ready for what was coming his way, in every sense of the word.

                                                                  

Ian hopped in the shower, did some quick man-grooming and brushed his teeth again. When he came back into the room, Tio had already been there and had everything set up. There was music playing in the background.  

"Wow, Mick. This all looks amazing. Thank you," Ian said, working his way over to the bed where his love was lying back against a pillow, thumbing through his iPad.

"This music is beautiful. Who is this?" Ian asked, shocked that Mickey would be into this type of music.

"It's called 'Sunset Lover' by Petit Biscuit. They actually have a shit ton of good music. I have most of their songs downloaded on my iTunes," Mickey responded.

"What?" Mickey asked when Ian went silent, wearing a puzzled look on his face.

"Nothing...just never pegged you as the type to listen to this kind of music. I love this side of you, Mick. You surprise me every day," Ian said as he sat on the bed, facing Mickey.

"Changed a lot since I've been here, Ian. Not really the same thug I was back in Chicago. I took the South Side blinders off, I guess."

"I love it, Mick, and I love you," Ian said, leaning in to kiss Mickey.

"Good. I love you too, Ian." Mickey closed the distance between them.

The kiss began gentle, at about the same pace as the music playing in the background. To be honest, it was turning Ian the fuck on, and he was ready to be turned the fuck out by Mickey.

"Want you so much, Mick," Ian said into Mickey's mouth, not even bothering to break the kiss.

"C'mere," Mickey said, pulling Ian on top of him.

They continued kissing while grinding gently, enjoying the feeling of their bodies against each other. They were both wearing only boxer briefs, which were starting to become a nuisance.

"One sec," Mickey told Ian as he got up to grab a remote to adjust the lighting and turn on the fan. He also put the lube on the bedside table within arm's reach, and brought Ian a shot of tequila to calm his nerves.

Ian's heart was beating out of his chest. He was so used to being in charge, and now it was Mickey's turn. He was feeling a weird combination of nervous and excited. He felt like it was his first time, and he couldn't be happier that it was with the only man he ever trusted with his life, and loved more than any other person on the planet.  

The sheets were already turned down, and Mickey threw the extra pillows on the floor so that he and Ian were completely horizontal. Mickey rubbed Ian's cheek, drawing soft patterns with his thumb. He was looking at Ian with so much love in his eyes it was almost overwhelming. He kissed Ian softly on each cheek, then his forehead, nose, and mouth. He continued down his jaw to his neck, stopping at his ear.

"You're the love of my life, Ian," Mickey whispered, which made Ian shudder.

"You too, Mick. You're the love of my life. Always have been," Ian choked out.

"Gonna make you feel so good, baby," Mickey whispered, running his hand down Ian's chest gently, stopping to rub his nipple and pinch it firmly before his hand continued its descent, making Ian moan.

Mickey trailed his fingers across Ian's stomach, brushing against the waistband of his boxer briefs before sitting up and gently pulling them off. Ian lifted himself up to help speed up the process. 

"You too. Take these off. Now. Wanna see all of you," Ian demanded. Mickey quickly removed his boxer briefs, releasing his heavy cock which was already hard for his lover.

Mickey ran his hand over Ian's length, which was becoming harder and harder with each touch. Mickey rubbed his thumb in circles over Ian's dripping tip, earning soft pants from Ian. Mickey kissed Ian, then broke away to put his thumb in his mouth to take in what Ian had leaked so far, making Ian squirm.

"So good. You taste so fucking good," Mickey told Ian before kissing him again so that he could taste himself on Mickey's warm tongue.

Mickey kissed Ian's jaw, then kissed and sucked his way down Ian's neck and chest. He halted his southbound journey to play with that beautiful "V" that led to a burst of red curls, and the most magnificent dick Mickey had ever laid eyes on.

Mickey gripped the base of Ian's cock and danced his tongue over and around the tip, gentle enough to make Ian keen and buck up. He licked a stripe from base to tip, sucking softly and rubbing Ian’s leaking tip against his soft and swollen pink lips.

Ian couldn't help but look down at the sight. Mickey looked fucking beautiful, and sexy as all fuck—full, glistening lips coated in nothing but Ian, flushed cheeks, and hooded blue eyes that met his, teeming with love and desire—all of it for him, and only him.

Ian was already coming apart, and they hadn't even had sex yet.  

"Turn over," Mickey whispered, patting Ian's side to signal him to flip. He grabbed a pillow and told Ian to pick his ass up so Mickey could place the pillow underneath him.

"Spread your legs for me," Mickey told Ian, guiding his legs to where he wanted them so he could get full access to Ian's ass.

"Good. Perfect. So beautiful, Ian. You're so beautiful," Mickey said, rubbing Ian's back softly then pressing his thumbs into his lower back, rubbing in circles to relieve some tension.

He massaged his way down to Ian's glutes, which were also tense. Mickey kept at it until Ian relaxed, taking his time and being gentle with his love, knowing he was nervous. He wanted nothing more than to give Ian intense pleasure, but first he needed to make sure he was truly ready.

Mickey spread Ian's cheeks slowly to reveal his beautiful pink hole, which made Mickey's dick twitch and his mouth water. Mickey ran a dry thumb gently over Ian's hole, then massaged it until Ian was relaxed again. He took each step as easily as he could, knowing Ian probably never experienced it like this before.

"Fuck, Mick. You're fucking amazing. Take me apart so good," Ian panted.

"Want you to feel good. So good," Mickey said before licking from Ian's perineum to his tight hole, earning a gasp from Ian, which only edged Mickey on. He continued to eat Ian out until he was dripping wet, then began to fuck him with his tongue before inserting a finger, making Ian whine and roll his hips back in a slow rhythm.

"Taste...so...fucking...mmmm...good...so good, Ian..."

Mickey reached over to grab the lube. He made sure his fingers were thoroughly coated before slowly pushing another one inside, trying not to come from Ian's tightness. He was so fucking tight and wet.

"Feel so good, baby. So fucking tight. Gonna take my time opening you up. Want you to feel so good," Mickey growled.

"Please, Mick...need you...so fucking bad...I need you so fucking bad..." Ian said, sounding emotional.

"You okay, baby?" Mickey asked, lying himself against Ian's back with his head next to Ian's face.

"I'm fine," Ian said, wiping a tear away. "It's just emotional. I'm really emotional right now. I've never wanted you as much as I do right now, and that's saying something. Like I might die if I don't have all of you."

"You do have all of me, baby. Always will. Promise. I'm all yours, and I'm not going anywhere, you hear me?" Mickey assured Ian.

"I'm not either. Never leaving you, Mick, and what sucks is that you can't believe me. But I mean it. I'm never fucking leaving you. Ever. Again. You're the most important person in my world, and I am so sorry," Ian said, tears streaming now.

"C'mere," Mickey said, rolling off of Ian and pulling him into a tight hug.

"I know that, Ian. I really do. I know that now. Just you and me, okay? That's it. No more bullshit. You and me from here on out," Mickey said while planting sweet kisses on Ian's face.

"I hope you know I mean it. I do. Love you so much. Want you so much," Ian said, kissing Mickey softly. The kiss became deeper and deeper until they were panting into each other's mouths.

"Please, Mick. Prep me, please. I want you to fuck me," Ian whispered.

Mickey added more lube to his fingers, sinking one back into Ian, then adding another to start scissoring him open. He tried to be as gentle as possible.

"Ready. Another, Mick. Ready for another," Ian panted.

Mickey inserted a third finger, and Ian began to fuck himself back onto his hand, rolling his hips and moaning into their kiss.

"You ready?" Mickey asked as he pulled out.

"Yes, please. Please," Ian responded. "How...how do you want me?"  

"On your back. Wanna see your face," Mickey responded while pulling the pillow out from under Ian.

Mickey positioned himself between Ian's legs, lifting one leg to make it easier to insert his head into Ian's hole. He pushed gently until he made his way through the tight ring with his tip, which was thick as fuck. He knew that would be the hardest for Ian to take.

"Mmmmph...fuck, Mick...give...give me a minute..."

"Take your time, baby."

After a minute or two, Ian was finally ready to take more of Mickey.   

"Ready. More...need more..." Ian urged.

Mickey began to slide in slowly, then pulled back and pushed forward again until his hips were flush against Ian's, eliciting a loud moan from both men. Mickey stayed still to allow Ian to get used to the stretch.  

"Move, Mick. Ready...please move..." Ian whimpered.

Mickey began rolling his hips slowly inside of Ian until he was sure he was ready for more. Picking up the pace, Mickey began searching for the spot he wanted to hit to drive Ian insane. He knew he found it when Ian wailed loudly and bucked forward.

"There...JESUS FUCK...THERE...Mick...right there...oh God...don't stop....please....fuck....fuck me, baby...hard...harder...PLEASE!" Ian whimpered, grasping at the sheets with white knuckles.

Mickey took that as a sign to fuck Ian into the next realm, angling himself so he hit that spot with every thrust into Ian. He was so fucking tight and wet, and it felt so motherfucking good, Mickey wasn't sure how long he would last.  

Mickey leaned back, taking both of Ian's legs and pushing them higher so he could get deeper and thrust harder into him. He continued to fuck Ian relentlessly, the sounds he made bringing Mickey quickly to the edge.

"So tight, baby. So fucking hot for me...so tight for me. You're so fucking sexy...making my cock ache for you...this ass...my ass, Ian. This is mine. You got that? This. Is. Mine," Mickey growled, punctuating his words with each thrust.

"Yours, Mick...fuck, your cock is so fucking amazing...Jesus fuck...I...not gonna....make it much longer, baby..." Ian panted loudly, gripping onto the sheets for dear life.

Mickey pulled out then straddled Ian, lining Ian's cock up to his own hole. Mickey took all of him at once, sinking down then bringing himself back up, just to slam back down into Ian, making his own vision blurry.

"Jesus fucking Christ. FUCK...Mick...fuck...so fucking good...warn me next time, please," Ian hollered.

"Took my dick so good, baby. Wanna show you how good I take yours. Love this cock. Love riding you...watching you come undone...so fucking hot..." Mickey panted, on the verge of seeing stars.

"So gorgeous. Fuck...so fucking beautiful..." Ian mewled while watching Mickey take his cock like he was born for it, watching Mickey's dick bounce heavily up and down, slapping against his stomach. Mickey's head was back, mouth forming an "O," his hands splayed across Ian's stomach for balance while he rode him hard.  

"Gonna come," Mickey warned.

"Me too, baby. So fucking hard," Ian warned, thinking he might shoot Mickey straight off of him and into the ceiling considering the intense orgasm that was building in his gut.

"Jesus fucking Christ...there...right fucking there..." Mickey said with a gasp before shooting all over himself, Ian, and the sheets in a fountain display that could have rivaled the Bellagio in Vegas.

Ian followed with a loud moan, shooting his load deep inside of Mickey again and again until he thought he might go blind.

Mickey rolled off and landed in a pile of boneless mass, trying desperately to catch his breath.

"Motherfucking fuck...that was the best fucking orgasm I've ever had in my life, and I think I'm still having it," Ian said while his body continued to convulse.

Mickey started laughing at that confession, feeling pretty fucking proud of himself, but also feeling the same way Ian just described. 

"Same, baby." That was all Mickey could get out, and he was pretty certain those would be his last words.

  *******

Both men lay there for what seemed like an hour before their motor functions began to return. Ian reached over to Mickey, rubbing his back.

"Shower. Shower, then sleep." 

"K. Bring it here. I'll wait," Mickey responded lazily.

"You know I can't bring the shower over here, baby. Let's just clean up real quick, and then we'll come right back and sleep," Ian said, getting himself up before reaching out for Mickey's hands to help him up. Mickey padded behind Ian like a child who just lost a fight and had to eat broccoli.

"I'll wash you up, then you can go right back to bed. Sound good, Mick?" Ian asked.

"Yeah," Mickey whispered. Ian couldn't help but laugh at his pouty man, but he did as he promised. He washed Mickey up quickly, then sent him back to bed.  

Ian soaped himself up, rinsed off, patted himself dry, then headed back to bed. He put the pillows back, cleaned up the sheets as best he could, and put two water bottles on the nightstand. He turned off the lights and cuddled up next to Mickey, who was already softly snoring. Ian placed a soft kiss on Mickey's neck and took a deep breath in to inhale that Mickey scent he loved so much. With that, he dozed off into a comatose sleep alongside the love of his life, feeling the happiest he had ever felt.


	18. I Choose You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I FUCKING LOVE THIS CHAPTER SO MUCH. This one focuses on Ian and Mickey's vacation, which is fucking incredible, and I want to go too.  
> I hope you enjoy!!!

It was nearing the last few days of their vacation, and their bodies were spent. They had been used and abused in every way, shape and form known to man and woman alike. In the time they had spent together, they were able to begin healing old wounds, as well as map out the future they both wanted together. Hearing Ian say the things that Mickey wanted to hear, as well as things he didn’t know he wanted to hear, gave Mickey a new perspective on their separation and vice versa. Their time apart was a necessary evil to get them both in a better headspace, and to become who they were supposed to be. Alone, without having each other responsible for defining any part of that process.

It may have not seemed like it at the time, but it was better this way. Mickey was able to become who he now was all by himself. He was damn proud of that, too. He wasn’t sure that would have been at all possible had his attention been focused on Ian. Ian had also needed to come to certain realizations on his own. He needed to decide how he would manage his illness, if he would at all. Having someone breathing down his neck would have only ended badly, again. As bad as it had felt, it turned out to be a good thing for their relationship. Unanswered prayers turned out to be a blessing.

They were able to talk about the issues they both still had pent up anger from, and that they had pushed down deep inside. Both having grown so much, knowing that they never wanted to be apart again, helped them to listen and understand how the other was feeling, and what drove them to do some of the horrible things they did to each other—to the person they loved most in the world.

It felt good to get rid of all the garbage and baggage. It was okay to still be hurt, but at least they now understood the other person's state of mind when they did what they did to hurt each other. It came down to the broken states they were both in, most likely due to their unfortunate nature vs nurture circumstances. Incredibly, regardless of how broken they both had been, they were still able to redefine themselves outside of the environments in which they grew up, and outside of the sets of genes that had been passed down to them.

They talked a lot about their future as far as that it definitely included each other. They still hadn’t determined what that future would look like since the kidnapping. Mickey loved his job, his team, and his employers. They were his family. He loved that Ian now fit into this multi-cultural puzzle perfectly. He had no doubt that Ian would be amazing at the job he was given, working with the LGBT community to advance their cause. But, he had one big ass worry for both of them. For all of them, actually. _Safety_. Mexico was not a safe place in general, but throw their occupations into the mix and well, someone could get kidnapped. Again.

Mickey could even sense a change in Pablo based on the time they spent together after the incident. He knew that it hit him hard. Of course Pablo would move heaven and earth to get Mickey back, but would he be able to handle something happening to one of his girls? He would have found out had Mickey not been on the scene that first day they met.

Pablo and Sylvana both had law degrees as well as reputations that could get either of them a job anywhere they could practice. He wondered if Pablo wanted to stay in the political race any longer. Frankly, Mickey would be relieved if he opted out. Granted it would mean that Mickey would have to find another job, but luckily he had saved up enough money to ensure that he and Ian would be taken care of for a while. Perhaps Mickey could even start up a business. They had choices now, and Mickey was able to provide them with such choices. Mickey wanted to discuss that topic further, but it was not as high-priority as some of the other things he and Ian needed to get out of the way before they could move forward together.

Ian vowed to spend the rest of his days showing Mickey how sorry he was for what happened. Mickey told Ian that he didn’t want him to do that anymore. He knew he was sorry. Instead, Mickey wanted them to put more effort into showing how much they love each other, and how happy they are to be back in each other's lives. He wanted them to have a partnership in life, and to be able to count on each other and have each other's back, no matter what the situation. They needed to be the priority in each other's lives, but they could only be as good to each other as they were to themselves. Self-care was important, making sure they both had what they needed in their lives to be fulfilled, including work, hobbies, friends, all of it. And of course, they would always be there to support one another. They both wanted to defy the odds and have the healthiest relationship possible.

They also discussed the living situation. Ian would move in with Mickey and would travel back and forth, just as Mickey had been doing over the past year. He would live with Mickey in the guest house during the week, and they would come home on the weekends. They also wanted to save up as much as they possibly could so that they would be able to enjoy their later years of life without the worries or stresses of money. 

* * *

“Hey Mick, what’s your favorite food?” Ian asked.

“If you don’t know that by now, then you weren't paying attention,” Mickey responded sarcastically.

“Yeah yeah, pizza bagels. But really, what's your REAL favorite food? We never got to eat our steak dinner together. Is steak your favorite? Pizza? Lasagna? Corned beef? What is it, Mick?” Ian prodded.

“Ian, if you say the “d” word, I will toss your ass in the ocean. I swear I will. We need to come up with another name for what you're trying to get at. Rendez-vous, shindig...anything but that fucking word,” Mickey urged, dead-ass serious.

“Okay, let’s table that hot topic. Now tell me your favorite food,” Ian laughed.

“I don’t know. I like it all. Food. I like food. I do love a good steak, and a baked potato with the works: sour cream, cheese, bacon, butter. Oh! I love garlic bread. I'd never tried it until I came here of all places. I could eat a fucking loaf all by myself,” Mickey responded, starting to get into it now.

“So, you like steak, loaded baked potatoes, and garlic bread. What about vegetables, Mick?”

“Fuck veg…oh wait…is corn a vegetable? I can tear up some corn on the cob with butter and spices and bread crumbs on a stick. They sell that shit down in the square. Fucking heaven, Ian. I tell you...HEAVEN. You haven’t lived until you've tried it,” Mickey said excitedly.

Ian laughed, loving seeing this side of Mickey.

“Okay, corn. So what about dessert? What's your absolute favorite dessert?” Ian kept on.

“The fuck is this, Gallagher? You writing a book?” Mickey joked.

“No...we just never had the chance to learn each other's favorites. I wanna know everything about you,” Ian said with big puppy dog eyes that Mickey could not resist, nor would he ever be able to.

“Okay, okay. But you’re next! Dessert…I fucking love ice cream. SNICKERS. You know I love those. Candy, pretty much all candy. I love cake. Chocolate cake. Ohhh, and fucking chocolate mousse. Have you ever HAD chocolate mousse? Stuff will make your toes curl. I'd have to say chocolate mousse. Shit. No, Snickers. Wait...no, chocolate mousse. With raspberry drizzle and shit, since I'm extra now,” Mickey responded.

“Got it,” Ian responded happily.

“What about you, Chef Ian? What are YOUR favorites?” Mickey asked, eyebrows at full staff.

“You. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, AND dessert. You taste delicious,” Ian said while licking his lips and patting his stomach.

“If I had to answer, you have to answer. Now spit it out,” Mickey shot back.

“Aside from crème de la Mickey, since I'm pretty extra myself now…hmmm...I love steak, too. Could kill a baked potato. Love anything Italian. Favorite dessert would have to be tiramisu. I also love a good chili with cornbread. Oh, and BBQ...brisket, coleslaw, biscuits, beans, the works,” Ian responded.

“All of that sounds fucking delicious. Good taste, Gallagher, especially the crème de la Mickey. But it ain’t no steak,” Mickey laughed.

  *******

They were lying in the middle of the biggest bed they had ever seen in their lives, still as close to each other as they could possibly get. They rotated between staring at each other, talking, dozing off, and making out. Their eyes began to droop after a long day of water and extracurricular activities they had spent the day enjoying. Mickey began to snore softly, and Ian took that opportunity to hop out of bed, running down the steps to find Tio.

Ian ordered all of Mickey’s favorites for dinner the following night. He wanted to surprise Mickey with an extra special evening he had planned for them himself. Tio confirmed the menu and promised to have everything ready, including a special delivery Ian had requested that took the skills of MacGyver to procure. Ian hugged Tio, who just laughed. Ian then took off, practically skipping his way back up to bed.

The next morning, Mickey woke up first. They were intertwined in a way that was hard to determine whose limbs were whose. Since the incident, neither man wanted any distance between them at all. They both slept better this way. Always have.

Mickey lay looking at Ian, and his heart was so full. Each day he would replay events in his mind, and he still could not believe this is where they landed. He had never considered himself lucky, but he did now. He could admit that to himself. He thought maybe he had always been lucky—that maybe every shit thing that happened to him put him exactly where he is now. That was luck—that he was able to turn something so bad into something so good, and it worked. It actually happened. Of all the people in the South Side, Mickey fucking Milkovich got out and got himself a successful career. He was openly gay and in love, and he was with the love of his life.

Shit. He was definitely motherfucking lucky as hell.

“Hey, sleepy face,” Mickey whispered as Ian started stirring awake.

“Good morning, love of my entire life,” Ian responded, eyes still closed.

“Oh yeah? That what I am to you?”

“Yes, Mick. You are my sun, moon, and stars. My favorite person in the world. I love you with every cell in my body, and I can’t imagine, and never wanna know, a life without you ever again. So, yes. That is what you are to me,” Ian said, pulling Mickey close to pepper kisses all over his face.

“Mmm I like that. You know I feel the same way, right? I'm not quite as poetic with words as you are, but I feel that way, too. You're my sunshine, the moon of my life, all that sappy shit.”

“I love you so fucking much, Mick. I know you do. You don’t have to tell me. You show me. Every day."

“Good. So what's on the agenda today? Anything special? We leave in two days.”

“Why don’t we stay here today and relax? We can lay by the pool, on the beach, and have dinner here tonight. Maybe some Netflix and chill? No rushing around today. That okay?” Ian asked, knowing full well Mickey wouldn’t have any issues with that plan.

“Sounds fucking perfect.” Mickey kissed Ian’s head and hopped out of bed, pulling Ian behind him so they could shower together and get ready for one lazy ass day.

*******

“Why are you dressing up?” Mickey asked as Ian got ready for dinner.

“Because I wanna look purdy for you, Mick,” Ian brushed off playfully.

“Fire Crotch, you could wear a potato sack and a pair of Crocs and make that shit look good.”

“Well unfortunately I left both of those things back in Chicago, and that's where they can stay!” Ian laughed. “Why don’t you wear your linen pants? You know, the ones that wrap your ass up like a fucking Christmas present?”

“Oh, yeah? You like my ass in those? I'm pretty sure you just like my ass, Gallagher. You've spent more time with that thing than you have with me this entire trip.”

“You're a package deal, Mick, so me spending time with your ASS is me spending time with YOU. So please wear them? With nothing underneath? I love that I can see the outline of another one of my favorite parts when you wear them. So fucking sexy, Mick. Please?”

“Okay, okay. I'll wear them for you. Nothing underneath. Any other requests?”

“Yes! Will you wear that navy button-down shirt with it, and those sandals that I love?”

“Only for you, baby. Only for you,” Mickey responded with a kiss to Ian’s temple.

Ian didn’t think he would ever get enough of Mickey calling him baby. It did all the things to him.

They made their way downstairs and headed outside to where dinner was being served. The sight took Mickey’s breath away from sheer shock, and Ian’s too, because although Ian had requested it, he never expected it to be this beautiful. The tiki torches around the pool and on the beach were lit, as well as what looked like every candle in Mexico. They were set up everywhere, even floating in the pool. Flowers were in the pool, too, and all over, creating the most beautiful and breathtaking scene either of them had ever experienced.

Tio was dressed formally for the occasion, and he pulled out both of their seats for them to sit down. He gave Ian a wink as he filled their water and began opening the bottle of wine. Ian was over the moon. He owed Tio big time. He made a mental note to send Tio a bottle of the tequila he went on about after sampling the one Mickey brought along.

Tio asked if he could get them anything else, and promised to return with their appetizers. When he came back, he had two small plates with three pizza bagels on each. They were presented like they were fucking Beluga caviar or some fancy shit, which made Ian and Mickey laugh.

“Perfect, Tio. This is perfect. Thank you,” Ian said.

“Did you have anything to do with this, Fire Crotch?” Mickey smiled.

“I have no idea what you're talking about, Mick. Purely coincidental.”

Once they were done with their “appetizer,” if you could call it that, Tio cleared their plates and returned with dinner: steak so rare it would moo when you cut into it, loaded baked potatoes with more shit on the side, corn on a fucking stick, and an entire loaf of garlic bread.

“In case I haven't told you enough today...Ian, I love you more than Kim Kardashian loves herself. That's a fuck ton, from what I hear,” Mickey said as he started cutting into his steak. They each had a glass of wine, Ian trying to take a sip of water with every sip of wine so he could remember every detail of the night.

Next up was dessert. Tio brought out chocolate mousse with raspberry drizzle, and a Snickers bar cut into small pieces, scattered across the top of the mousse and around the plate.

“Are you fucking kidding me, Ian? You know how high of a bar you're setting tonight? Now this is my favorite dessert, and I want it every year on my birthday, and on all of the holidays. I'm not even joking,” Mickey said as he made sexy noises while he ate his favorite dessert.

“I'm so glad you liked everything, Mick. I wanted tonight to be special for you. For us,” Ian responded, absolutely glowing.

“Gallagher, just being with you is special enough for me, okay? Remember that. I don’t need anything else.”

“You’re becoming quite the romantic, Milkovich.”

They finished their desserts in silence as Tio cleared their plates, asking if they wanted anything else. Ian told him they were heading out to the beach now, both men thanking him for such an amazing evening as they left.

*******

Ian and Mickey made their way down to the beach on their perfect evening. There was a nice breeze coming off of the ocean, and the moon was full. Just as the patio was decorated, the beach was as well—tiki torches, candles, a blanket, a bottle of champagne on ice, and two glasses.

“You kidding me, Gallagher? You set all this up?” Mickey said while grabbing Ian and pulling him close.

“I told you. This is a special night, and I wanted us to remember it. We never had our real…”rendez-vous,” and you deserved one. You deserve everything, Mick,” Ian said softly.

“You’re too much,” Mickey said, pulling Ian into a kiss.

“Let’s lie down and look at the stars, baby. It’s a beautiful night, and the sky is so clear,” Ian suggested.

Ian lay down first, and Mickey snuggled up next to him, propping his head up on Ian's shoulder.

“Have you ever read the poem “The Oak Tree?” Ian asked, already knowing the answer.

“Uhh, no Ian. Never heard that one,” Mickey said, trying to keep his snark in check.

“I read it in high school, and it reminded me of you, even then. Now each time I reread it, it amazes me how perfectly it describes you,” Ian said, then went on to recite the poem:

 

"The Oak Tree"  
by Johnny Ray Ryder Jr.

A mighty wind blew night and day.  
It stole the Oak Tree’s leaves away.  
Then snapped its boughs and pulled its bark,  
Until the Oak was tired and stark.

But still the Oak Tree held its ground  
While other trees fell all around.  
The weary wind gave up and spoke,  
"How can you still be standing Oak?"

The Oak tree said, I know that you  
Can break each branch of mine in two,  
Carry every leaf away,  
Shake my limbs and make me sway.

But I have roots stretched in the earth,  
Growing stronger since my birth.  
You’ll never touch them, for you see  
They are the deepest part of me.

Until today, I wasn’t sure  
Of just how much I could endure.  
But now I’ve found with thanks to you,  
I’m stronger than I ever knew.

 

“Sometimes I feel like I was the wind, Mick. You had too much wind to deal with in your life. But you're so fucking strong, and you're so good. How can you be so fucking good after everything you've been through? You amaze me. You are absolutely amazing to me, and I love you. Please marry me. I will spend the rest of my life showing you how much you mean to me, and how special you are. Because you are, Mick. You're perfect. You are my perfect.”

Mickey sat up, and Ian followed him. And there they sat, next to each other on a blanket, on a beach in Mexico, surrounded by beauty. It was the perfect moment.

“Yes...yes...I love you so much, Ian. Yes, I will marry you,” Mickey said through tears.

Ian sat up on one knee and pulled out a box, opening it up and displaying its contents for Mickey.

“Wanna make it official?” Ian asked.

The band was made of titanium and Koa wood. It was beautiful and masculine, and it looked like it belonged on Mickey’s finger.

Ian put the ring on Mickey's finger and held him close until the tears subsided.

“Thank you. We haven't had it easy. We've had so many obstacles. It felt like we had a black cloud hanging over us sometimes. But what matters is you're here now. _We're_  here now. _Together_. I love you so much, Ian Clayton Gallagher.”

* * *

They made their way back to the house, heading straight to bed to celebrate their special night. It was intimate and beautiful, and they spoke soft and pretty things to each other. They repaired what they thought they broke in one another. No more apologies needed, and no more revisiting the past.

From here on out, everything was about the future they would create with each other. 


	19. Un Poco Loco (A Little Crazy)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I finally watched Coco after writing this chapter, and it was serendipitous. I wasn’t going to do a picture, but I had to make the ofrenda. I also used a song from the movie because it was adorable and precious and just seemed to fit.

The next couple of months went by in a blur. So many changes were happening for everyone in the family, and they were all trying to keep up with the new pace. Ian moved in with Mickey, and they traveled back and forth from Mexico City to Acapulco, just as they had discussed.

Ian was working on finding an office for his team in Guadalajara. He hired a new team manager and introduced her to all of his contacts in the US. They were working on a new campaign to raise awareness for the LGBT community, partnering with the North American community to make it a unified campaign in both countries. Fire Crotch went to work with Ian every day, loving the attention she got from everyone in the office. She was being spoiled rotten, and she loved every minute of it.

Mickey was focused on helping Pablo and Sylvana transition out of their political jobs respectively. They announced their resignations on the same day, and they had just a few months left to finish their roles before passing them along to their replacements. Mickey was not surprised when they pulled him and Ian into Pablo’s office to tell them the news. Neither of them was surprised, considering the events that took place over the past year. Mickey was relieved, if he was being honest, although he would certainly miss his job and his team.

Mandy and Mateo had returned home from New York after a month of showing Mateo's latest collection of paintings. They were hosting a family dinner the upcoming weekend to celebrate the Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos. Ian was coming back a day early so he could help Mandy and Mateo set up the ofrenda. Anthony was coming down to celebrate the holiday with friends, and he would be staying with Pablo and Sylvana for a couple of days. Claude would also be coming over to celebrate the occasion with everyone.

“Mick, we’re leaving. Do you mind if I bring Fire Crotch with me?” Ian asked, knowing that Mickey was too busy to give the pup the attention she deserved right now.

“No, babe. That’s fine. I'm sending a couple of my guys with you, too. They don’t have any family here, so I asked them to celebrate with us this weekend. They'll be on duty until I get there,” Mickey responded. Ian didn’t try to argue with Mickey, knowing how he was about having extra security with them now at all times.

“Sure, babe. That’s nice of you to invite them, Mick. I'll be staying with Mandy tonight to help set up. Claude is coming over to help, too,” Ian responded.

“Oh, good. Good. I'm so glad he'll be with us. Thanks for asking him,” Mickey said, relieved that his fiancé included Claude in their plans.

“Of course. I’ll miss you,” Ian said, pulling Mickey into a kiss.

“I'll miss you, too. Love you. Be safe. Text me when you get to the airport, and when you land. And when you get to Mandy's,” Mickey told Ian.

“I will, baby. Promise. Love you so much,” Ian responded, giving Mickey one more kiss before grabbing the pup and heading up to the main house.

*******

“Mick, can you stop by my office when you have a minute?” Pablo requested through his walkie-talkie.

’10-4, boss,” Mickey responded, heading inside after completing a perimeter inspection.

Mickey tapped gently on the already open door, surprised to see Anthony sitting in the office as well.

“Come in!” Pablo hollered.

“Hey, man! Didn’t think I’d see you until this weekend!” Mickey said, pulling Anthony into a hug and patting his back.

“Made a little detour. Had something to talk to you both about, and thought it would be easier to do it here,” Anthony told Mickey.

“Everything okay?” Mickey asked worriedly.

“Great, actually. Have a bit of an offer for you both. Already told Pablo, but he wanted to wait for you to hear your thoughts,” Anthony responded.

“Sit, Mick. Anthony is gonna give us both something to think about,” Pablo gestured to Mickey to sit on the couch.

Mickey sat down, both nervous and curious to find out what Anthony was about to suggest.

“So I've been tossing this idea around for a long time. With the changes you both have going on right now, the timing seemed to be perfect,” Anthony started.

Pablo and Mickey were listening intently, waiting for the details of the proposal.

“Mickey, Pablo knows about the details of my background. He and I already talked about sharing those details with you now,” Anthony said, focusing on Mickey.

“Uhh, okay...” Mickey said nervously, unsure of what he would soon be hearing.

“You already know I used to work with the US Government, but I don’t think you know the extent of the position I held. I was the DDCI in the CIA, reporting to the DCI. The director is the highest-ranking position in the CIA, and the deputy director is the second highest ranking. I was the deputy director, to put it in layman's terms,” Anthony explained.

“Shit,” Mickey exhaled, not realizing he said that out loud.

“I want to make you both a proposition. I think that we work well together as a team, and I have a fuck ton of respect for you both. I wouldn’t make this offer to anyone but you two, and the timing seemed to be perfectly aligned with the changes happening right now,” Anthony continued.

"Go on..." Mickey said.

“I think we should go into business together. The business would focus on providing personal and professional security services. We would also have training facilities where we would produce only the best of the best. We would offer bodyguard services, protective security, family personal security detail, estate security, international executive protection, and special event security. We would start the business as a national firm, with plans to expand worldwide. I know the competition, and trust me...we definitely have the advantage,” Anthony explained, stopping to read the room.

“Let’s say we both agree. What are the next steps?” Pablo asked while Mickey just sat there, flabbergasted.

“Well, we start in the US. We would need offices in the major cities. NYC, LA, Chicago…Miami would also be a great place to set up an office, considering the large celebrity population there that could use our services. Then we would open an office in London, which would serve as the headquarters for our European market,” Anthony went on.

Pablo nodded, and Mickey remained silent.

“Pablo, I think Miami would be a great place for you and Syl, since there would be no language barrier. All contracts would go through your office, and the staff would report directly to you both,” Anthony suggested.

“I think Syl would love that idea. She has family there, too,” Pablo responded.

“Now Mick, I don’t know how you feel about NYC or Chicago, but I’m already set up in LA with contacts and a location. I have family there as well, and I've already scoped out a location for a training facility,” Anthony said.

“I think this all sounds like a fairy tale that's not in the cards for me,” Mickey said sadly, wanting nothing more than to be able to take him up on his offer, but knowing it wasn’t possible. Even with the name change and the legal documents, there was no way he could show his face in Chicago again. He didn’t want to put their business at risk.

“It isn’t a fairy tale, Mick. All of this is very well within the realm of possibility,” Anthony responded.

Mickey looked at Pablo, hoping he could read his mind and help him out in this discussion that was a very sore topic for Mickey.

“Anyways, I know you're getting married soon, and I know you'll need time to talk things over with Ian. This is a lot to take in, I know. But first, I have an early wedding present for you,” Anthony said as he handed Mickey a wrapped box.

“Shouldn’t I wait to unwrap this with Ian?” Mickey asked, confused.

“Nah. This one's for you,” Anthony responded.

Mickey slowly tore the paper away from the box. He set the paper next to him on the couch, opened the box, and took out what looked like a file. Mickey looked at Anthony, then Pablo. Both men had smiles plastered on their faces.

“Open it, Mick,” Pablo said.

Mickey opened the file, which was labeled _Mikhailo Aleksandr Milkovich._ It was a lot thinner than he had imagined it in his mind.

“There’s nothing here. Wait...what is this? How did you…?”

Mickey looked up, holding a license and passport in his hand with his name on them. His _real_ name.

“Pablo told me your story, hoping I could help you out. I looked into it a while back, Mick. Hope you don’t mind. This has been in the works for a while now. Your police record has been cleared. All charges expunged. Your driving record is clear, and you have a valid passport. Nobody will bother you, Mick. Our men have already been to Chicago to take care of any confusion around the misunderstanding of your arrest. Everyone is on the same page now,” Anthony told Mickey.

“This license is for Illinois,” Mickey responded quietly.

“Your choice. Figured you might wanna head back to Chicago for a bit. A wedding with family might be nice. Maybe you could give some people a chance they wouldn’t have had without you...you know...having a better life. It doesn’t have to be forever. You could just get it set up and train a replacement, then move on to another office,” Anthony smiled.

“I think Mandy and Mateo could start up the office in NYC. They've wanted to move there for a while now to get serious about Mateo’s work. As long as we have someone strong in that office, they could focus on both. I was gonna ask Gabe and Michael if they would work out of that location, unless you would prefer New York,” he continued.

“Holy fucking shit. You did this for me?” Those were the only words Mickey could muster.

“Of course I fucking did this for you, man. You're one of my best friends. You're a good man who was given a pile of shit start, yet you still made something of yourself. You are inherently good, Mick. Don't let the past define you, bud. You are so much more than your past. I wouldn’t have done it or made this offer if I didn’t believe in you,” Anthony said with maybe a few tears in his eyes.

Mickey lost it. Apparently crying was his thing now.

“Fuck, man. Thank you. Thank you so fucking much. Both of you. You've both changed my life so much, and I love you. You're my family. I'd take a bullet for you guys any day. You have no fucking idea how much this means to me,” Mickey said through tears.

“Feeling's mutual, my friend,” Pablo said, standing up to grab Mickey into a hug, Anthony following suit.

“This calls for tequila!” Pablo broke the silence and headed over toward his collection.

“Pretty sure that just breathing calls for tequila for you, my friend,” Anthony laughed.

“Fuck yes! We are on the right side of the ground, my friend! We have many things to celebrate. Being alive is one of them!” Pablo said as he poured three glasses of his best.

The three men took their glasses in hand, and Pablo made a toast.

“There are good ships, and there are wood ships, the ships that sail the sea. But the best ships are the friendships, and may ours always be,” Pablo recited.

“That was corny as fuck, man,” Mickey said, making all three men laugh heartily.

*******

The three men spent the better part of the afternoon discussing their business plan over a bottle of tequila and tons of food. So far, the plan was coming together.

Anthony would take LA. There would be an office as well as a training facility at that location. Pablo and Syl would be in Miami, along with the security team Mickey had trained, should they accept the offer. Mandy and Mateo, along with Gabe and Michael, would be in NYC.

Tentatively, Ian and Mickey would be in Chicago. Mickey would most definitely need to speak with his fiancé first, especially before committing to that particular location.

Anthony had several investors lined up to fund 49% of the costs. The rest of them would pitch in to make up the rest. Mickey would need to sell his car, motorcycle, and house to make everything happen the way he wanted it to, but he could definitely swing it after they talked numbers. The bonus he got alone would make up for 75% of the cost, leaving him with a good chunk left over for a place on the North Side for Ian and him to live, a much cheaper vehicle than what he currently drove, and some savings.

They decided to wrap it up early and head to the airport once the plane was prepared and refueled from its trip earlier in the day.

Mickey knew the next few months would be insane with selling houses, setting up businesses, moving, plus planning a wedding, but he couldn’t have been fucking happier. He welcomed the craziness with open arms. He was going home. Well, maybe. He had to talk to Ian first. But he could. He COULD go home. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, he missed it. It was never an option in his mind before, but now that it was, he was full of excitement. He didn’t think he would want to spend the rest of his days in Chicago, but a few years would be nice. Because he fucking COULD.

The men loaded onto the plane, each taking a window seat to sleep off some of the buzz they were feeling from earlier. They decided they would spend the evening discussing the plan with their significant others, and would come back with a decision the night of the celebration. Mickey was excited, but sleepy. He dozed off, his head full of dreams—honest to God dreams that were actually tangible, and his heart was so fucking full.

*******

Ian had received a text from Mickey telling him Pablo wrapped things up early because he was ready to spend the weekend with his family, so they were heading back earlier than planned. He was excited that Mickey would be back shortly, because he didn’t like spending the night away from his fiancé. He was also super excited because he had a surprise for Mickey that he couldn’t wait for him to see.

“Mands, your brother is coming home tonight. Mateo, so is yours,” Ian hollered outside to them. They were hard at work, setting up the decorations.

“Hey Syl, Pablo text you?” Ian asked as she headed downstairs from putting Mirabel down for a nap due to her _el grumpo_ mood.

“Yes! So glad he decided to call it an early week. By the way, you’re doing great, Ian. I've heard really great feedback from the team. Everyone loves you,” she said, planting a smooch on his cheek on her way to pour another cup of coffee.

“Thanks, Syl. That really means a lot. It’s so nice to have a job that I love, and the team is so great. I can’t thank you enough for giving me this opportunity,” he responded.

“Are you kidding? You're the perfect guy for the job. You did ME a favor,” she winked.

“Ian, you are a good boy. Take ze compliment,” Claude blurted out from behind his giant pot of whatever the fuck he was preparing for the celebration that smelled like fucking heaven.

If Ian was into women, he was sure he would be madly in love with Sylvana. She was as beautiful and kind as she was smart. He was also sure that whatever Claude was cooking was going to make his toes curl, and may very well be added to his list of last meal requests.

“So Ian, do you have anyone you want to celebrate who has passed?” Sylvana asked.

“Not really. Well, maybe. I don’t know. My mother, I guess? She was a mess and wasn’t great at her job, but I do hope she finally found peace.”

“Do you have a picture of her? We could put it on the ofrenda if you want.”

“Nah. No. Thank you, though. Just doesn’t feel right, I guess.”

“Well, if you change your mind, I have an extra frame. We could always print out a picture.”

“Thanks, Syl. I’ll think about it.”

“Claude, that smells amazing. What is it?” Ian stood over the pot and inhaled deeply.

“Cassoulet.”

“And what is that exactly?”

“Very good. Zat is all you need to know. It was my mozer’s favorite,” Claude responded, more interested in seasoning his dish than talking to Ian.

“We’ll be outside, Claude, if you need anything,” Sylvana offered before closing the door.

“Yeah yeah, okay,” Claude whispered, intent on making the perfect cassoulet.

Ian and Sylvana headed outside to see where Mandy and Mateo were at with the preparations.

“You guys need help?” Ian shouted across the large backyard.

“We're trying to finalize the menu. This is what we have so far,” Mandy shouted. She proceeded to read the menu aloud as Ian and Sylvana walked closer:

 

 _Chicken Tamales_  
_Pan de Muertos (Day of the Dead Bread)_  
_Mole Negro_  
_Calabaza en Dulce (Candied Pumpkin)_  
_Hot Chocolate_  
_Cassoulet_  
_Empanadas_  
_A fuck ton of cookies_  
_Holubtsi (Cabbage Rolls)_  
_Chicken Kiev_  
_Makiwnyk (Poppy Seed Cake)_  
_Nachynka (Cornbread Stuffing)_  
_Kapusta and peas (Sauerkraut)_

 

“That's one hell of a combination. We having Tums for dessert?” Ian laughed.

“We had to pick favorite foods from Mateo’s side of the family as well as Syl’s, then ours, too. Fuck, Ian. Is there anything you wanna add?” Mandy asked, embarrassed for forgetting to offer.

“Actually, yes. Irish Potatoes. That's the only good memory I have of Monica when she was on her meds. She made Irish Potatoes for us all. They were delicious,” Ian said.

“Done! I love Irish Potatoes!” Mandy responded and wrote it down in her notebook.

The backyard looked beautiful and colorful. The decorations were a mix of reds, pinks, blues, greens, yellows, and purples. There were bright orange flowers everywhere and baskets set up, ready to be filled with bread and fruit. There were flower petals ready to be scattered all around. The ofrenda was set up except for the top shelf, which was left for the family pictures that would be set out tomorrow. There were also tons of candles waiting to be lit. It was stunning, and they weren’t even done yet.

Mateo came back outside with a giant box, carrying it like it was a child. He sat it down on the bar and carefully opened it, pulling out one of many wrapped items. He carefully unwrapped each item and lined them up on the bar. They were the most beautiful sugar skulls Ian had ever seen, each one more intricate than the next. Mateo explained that he collected them, and only brought them out for this occasion.

The next hour was spent setting up the table and trying to get as much done as possible today so they could relax and enjoy themselves as much as possible tomorrow. Mandy called the caterer and added the last-minute item to the menu for Ian. She reconfirmed that the makeup artists for face painting would be there in the early afternoon. Everything was coming along well. They all headed inside, plopped down on the couch, and waited for the rest of the tribe to arrive.

*******

Not too long after they settled into the couches with some snacks and drinks, the boys were coming in through the front door.

“Holy shit that smells fucking amazing!” Mickey blurted out.

“Sank you, son,” Claude smiled, giving Mickey a hug and peck on the cheek when he came over to greet him, just like a true Frenchman would.

The men joined the rest of them on the couches and discussed the plans for the upcoming celebration. Once they had the plans and instructions out of the way, Pablo launched them into the discussion that needed to happen, the one that would determine their futures.

“Everyone, I have something to say. I have to speak privately with Sylvana, and Mickey will need to speak privately with Ian before we can continue a very important discussion that will impact our family. I need you to be patient until we come back. Can you do that for me?” Pablo asked.

Ian swallowed the ice cube he had been sucking on, having to breathe through the pain of it getting caught temporarily in his throat. He looked over at Mickey who smiled and winked at him, reassuring him that it wasn’t something terrible.

“The fuck, Pablo?” Mandy said, irritated. “You want us to sit here and wait patiently after THAT announcement?”

“I guarantee you, my dear, it is only good things. Please do not stress,” he answered.

“Fine,” she pouted, but trusted Pablo.

The two couples ended up leaving, going back to their respective houses to carry on the important discussions with their other halves.

*******

“Anything I need to be concerned about, Mick?” Ian asked nervously.

Mickey grabbed Ian's hand and squeezed, then pulled it up to his lips for a kiss.

“Nothing at all to be concerned about, baby. Just didn’t wanna go making decisions without talking to the old ball and chain first,” Mickey joked.

“I can’t even be pissed that you just called me that, Mick,” he smiled and squeezed Mickey’s hand back.

They listened to the radio the rest of the way to the house. Once both men were inside and sitting next to each other on the couch, Mickey laughed.

“Something funny?” Ian asked, confused.

“Nah, not really. I just can’t believe I'm getting ready to tell you what I'm about to tell you. First off, here...” Mickey said, handing Ian the box containing the folder he had been gifted earlier that day.

“Early wedding present from Anthony,” Mickey explained.

Ian carefully unwrapped the box and removed the contents, eyeing it before looking up at Mickey inquisitively. Mickey just smiled and nodded for Ian to open the folder.

“It’s your record, Mick. There's nothing here. And there's a license. Wait...a license? FOR ILLINOIS?! AND A PASSPORT? YOU GOING SOMEWHERE, MICK? THE FUCK IS THIS?!” Ian asked as he sprung from the couch—more nervous than excited, and not yet fully understanding the gesture.

‘Calm down, Fire Crotch. It's all good. Turns out, Anthony worked for the CIA. High up as fuck. He cleared my record. The boys have already been to Chicago to make sure everyone is clear that I don't have a record anymore. Thought I might want an Illinois license, and the passport is to get across the border, obviously. Oh, and for travel, if I need to,” Mickey explained.

Now Mickey had seen Tom Cruise on Oprah, and was aware of his idiotic show of love by jumping up and down in front of a live audience and in front of millions of people on her nice leather sofa. He thought that was the most ridiculous shit he had ever seen.

Until now.

“MICKEY…MIIIICKKKEEYYY!!! ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS, MICK? MICKEY!!!” Ian legit screamed. He dropped down suddenly onto Mickey's lap, straddling his legs and grabbing his face.

“WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? WHAT DOES IT MEAN, MICK? TELL ME NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS!!!” Ian laughed, then immediately busted out crying.

“Ian? Baby? What’s the matter? C’mere. What’s the matter, Ian?” Mickey asked, trying to get Ian's face in his hands to wipe away the tears, but Ian buried his face in Mickey’s neck instead, crying and dripping snot all over him. Mickey hugged him tight.

“I’m just so happy, Mick. Are you fucking kidding me? Like, this is really happening? You don’t have to run anymore? You're... _free_? Is this real? Pinch me, Mick. Hard. PINCH ME!!!” Ian hollered.

Mickey did just that, but not as hard as Ian would have liked.

“It's all real, Ian. _WE_ are free. Both of us now. We can go wherever we want,” Mickey added.

“This is like, the best fucking present I've ever gotten in my life. Ever. EVER, Mick. Ever,” Ian continued with the dramatics.

“Well I’m not done yet, but I’m also not sure how much more you can handle,” Mickey said while rubbing Ian’s back.

“There's _MORE?_  HOW CAN THERE BE MORE?!” Ian cried. Mickey couldn't help but laugh.

“Baby. BABY. Look at me. Listen to me,” Mickey continued.

“Yeah?” Ian asked excitedly, like the dog that went viral on the Internet.

“I need you to calm down so we can talk about something really fucking important. And exciting. You think you can do that for me?” Mickey asked.

“Okay. I can, Mick. Promise,” Ian said while crawling off Mickey's lap to sit next to him, giving Mickey his full attention.

“Okay, so here's the deal...” Mickey began to explain everything, and the couple spent the next few hours making decisions together and talking about their future.

 After the excitement of the day, Mickey shot Pablo a text asking if they could continue the discussion the next day. Both men were spent, wanting nothing more than to crawl into bed and be alone with each other in their house.

Pablo shot a text back and agreed, seeming to have a similar situation on his hands with Sylvana.

*******

The next day, Ian and Mickey woke up together and got ready to head back to Casa de M&M to finish setting up for the party. When they arrived, everyone was out back in the lounge area having coffee and donuts. The couple joined them, plopping down on their own couch.

“So...have decisions been made?” Pablo asked.

“Yep,” Ian responded happily while Mickey shoved a cream-filled donut in his mouth.

“Perfect. Is it a yes or no?”

“Yes!” Ian answered before Mickey could respond, causing Pablo to laugh.

“Perfect. Where?”

“Chicago!!!” Ian shouted while everyone not in the know stared at him with a puzzled look.

Anthony and Pablo were both very happy with the decision.

“How about you?” Mickey asked while chewing on his second donut.

“Yes!” Sylvana said, quickly following in the fashion of Ian.

“Okay. Where?” Mickey continued.

“Miami!!!” she hollered.

“Awesome!!!” Ian yelled.

“The fuck is going on here? Can someone PLEASE explain what we're talking about?!” Mandy asked, and with that, Pablo and Anthony went on to tell them everything.

After an hour-long discussion, it was settled. Mandy and Mateo would go to NYC with Michael and Gabe. Pablo had talked to the team the night before and made an offer, not one of them turning it down. Everyone was happy, but Mickey was nervous and started feeling a little sad. He would have to break the news to Claude, who wouldn't be arriving until later in the evening.

As the day went on, the setup continued. Everyone looked fantastic, each person wearing a vibrant outfit that complimented their face makeup perfectly. Some wore crowns of flowers, while others wore hats.

The backyard looked beautiful and vibrant, and the kitchen smelled heavenly. The house was buzzing with people preparing for the celebration.

The attendees included Mandy and Mateo hosting the event, Mickey, Ian, Fire Crotch, Pablo, Sylvana, Mirabel, Claude, Javier, Mauricio, Anthony, Rickey, and Franny, as well as Tito, Victor, and Diego, who worked on Mickey’s team. Everyone had been asked in advance about recipes and photos, a few accepting the offer and sharing their descendants' favorites, as well as pictures for the altar.

Everyone was outside enjoying the food and drinks, which were set up buffet-style. With the array of food they had available, that was the best way to serve everyone to make sure they got what they liked. They had the table set up for anyone who wanted to eat there, as well as stations around the backyard that were less formal.

“Hey Mick, got something for you, but I don’t wanna give it to you in front of everyone else. Let’s walk down to the beach,” Ian said, carrying a wrapped box in his hands.

“I don’t know if my heart can take any more surprises,” Mickey said, smiling at Ian and grabbing his hand as they walked down to the beach together. They sat down in the chairs that were set up for the day.

“Here, Mick. I hope you like it,” Ian said nervously.

Mickey, for the second time in two days, unwrapped his gift and set the paper aside. He opened the box and pulled out the contents, which were wrapped in tissue paper. Mickey peeled back the paper and let out a heavy breath, tears forming in his eyes.

“H-how did you do this, Ian? _How_? Did Mateo paint this? These are his initials... _HOW?!_ ” That was all Mickey could say as he was overcome with emotions.

"After you went away and I'd found out your dad was gone, I went over to the house to grab some things. I went through the entire house, looking for anything you may have wanted to keep so I could hold onto it for you. When I went through the drawers, not only did I find the photo of me that I wrote the note on and left for you to find on your way here, but I also found a book that was your mother's. When I brought everything home, I wrapped everything up except for my photo and the book. I put everything in the attic to give to you when you got out, but I wanted to read the book first. And maybe I should have given that and everything else to you before I left you, but something told me to hold onto everything, especially your mother's things, and I'm so glad that I did. I have the book here with me to give to you, Mick. Everything else is still in Chicago, waiting for you."

"There were a few pictures inside of the book, but I thought this one would be perfect to frame for today. The original is faded and in bad shape, but Mandy helped Mateo with a few pictures she had, and from memory. He's been working on this for over a month now. She’s beautiful, Mick. You and Mandy look so much like her,” Ian said as he started to cry from watching Mickey’s tears fall.

“Thank you, Ian. This is the best gift I've ever received,” Mickey said, running his finger along her face.

“I’m so glad you like it,” Ian whispered.

“It’s perfect. It’s my mother,” he cried as Ian held him through the tears.

 


	20. The Power Of Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who read this little love story and left comments and kudos. They meant the world to me. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy the last chapter and the end of the story for these two babies who deserve so much happiness. 
> 
> And thank you to Katie (@got_milkovich) on IG for editing!! You are the absolute best and I love you to pieces!!
> 
> She took some creative license too and made beautiful adjustments that only added to this story and made it so much better than it would have been without her input. 
> 
> To Endgame, Gallabitches!!!! xoxo

_**Several months later**_

“I can't believe I agreed to this, Ian. You and your dick...I swear that thing shoots out magic that makes me agree to things I'd never normally agree to, had I not been under your black magic cock spell,” Mickey whined over the phone.

“Oh come on, Mick! It's a two-for-one. I'm surprised you're not thrilled that we’re knocking them both out in one shot,” Ian laughed.

“That's the ONLY reason I'm not throwing your ass in the trunk and driving us to Vegas to elope,” Mickey shot back.

“Now how much fun would that be, Mick? You're gonna love it, I promise. And I love you. SO MUCH. I can’t wait to be your husband tomorrow.” Ian knew that for Mickey, hearing the word _husband_ was like giving water to a parched man in the desert, though Mickey would never, ever admit it.

“Alright, alright. Fine. We'll do it your way, but we're doing the honeymoon _my_ way. Especially the part where we consummate our marriage.”

“I'm absolutely fine with that, my love. Fair trade.”

“I don’t know how I'm expected to sleep without you here, ya know? How is this even a fucking tradition?” Mickey asked.

“Because it's bad luck, and you and I both know we can be magnets for that shit. If this is what it takes, it's a small sacrifice, Mick. Don’t ya think?” 

“Fuck. I can’t disagree. I just…I miss you.”

“You know I'm literally right next door, right? Like, we even have a door connecting our rooms. Hear that? That’s me, Mick,” Ian said while knocking on the door.

“I know, I know. Okay. Just stay there for a minute,” Mickey instructed, and Ian did as he was told.

Ian could hear Mickey’s door open on his side of the room of their fancy ass hotel.

“Mick, we can’t see each other,” Ian warned.

“I know, I know. Just open your door a little bit. Promise I won’t come in.”

Ian unlocked his door and opened it just a crack. Mickey stuck his hand through the crack and outstretched his fingers for Ian to hold his hand. Ian quickly complied.

“Hi, baby,” Ian said, gently pulling Mickey’s hand up to his mouth and planting kisses all over it.

“Missed you,” Mickey whispered.

“My turn,” Mickey said after Ian kissed every inch of his hand.

Ian moved their hands to Mickey’s side of the door and felt the kisses being returned.

“Love you so much, Mick,” Ian said, holding back all of the emotions he was feeling in that moment.

“Love you more, Ian.”

“Impossible.”

The men held hands and talked for the next hour before deciding that time would go by quicker if they tried to get some sleep. They said their _good nights_ , even giving each other a kiss with the promise that neither would open their eyes. They shut the door and drifted off to sleep, their minds full of dreams of becoming husbands.

*******

“You look beautiful, sis. Just like Mom,” Mickey told Mandy as they waited for their cue.

“Thanks, Mick. You look so handsome. Ian's gonna cry. You know that, right? Are you prepared for the tears?” Mandy told Mickey as she straightened his blue tie.

“Mands, _I’m_ gonna cry.”

“Aww! That's so fucking sweet, Mick. Think I just got a cavity,” she joked, feeling pretty nervous about crying herself.

“Can you believe we're both getting married today? Together?” Mandy laughed.

“Not fucking really. Figures you'd steal my thunder on the most important day of my life,” Mickey laughed.

“There's no way I'm gonna be able to steal your thunder once Ian sees you, Mick.”

They both jumped when they heard a soft knock on the door.

“It’s showtime,” Fiona told them. She held the door open and motioned for them to step out into the church foyer.

“You both look amazing,” Fiona smiled before making her way toward the line of bridesmaids.

The doors sprung open and the music started. Mandy and Mickey stayed out of view until it was their turn to walk down the aisle.

Everyone finally made their way down, and the doors were shut again. Mandy and Mickey were now in place, ready to make the walk together.

It felt like seconds or years, neither was really sure, when the doors swung back open. Both Milkovich siblings' breaths were taken away. They looked at each other and smiled, saying more than anyone would ever understand before interlocking their arms and making the walk toward the loves of their lives. Killing two birds with one stone once more, Mickey walked Mandy down the aisle, though he felt like she was walking him down once his nerves started to kick in.

The church didn’t have traditional pews like most churches do. The seating was wooden chairs, and the aisle was lined with a white runner leading up to an impressive altar. There were over-sized glass vases at the entrance, filled with white flowers in various shapes and sizes with petals and candles accenting them. The petals continued the entire way up the aisle on either side of the runner. Each end chair was decorated with flowers and satin ribbons. It was breathtaking, to say the very least.

From the back of the church, Mickey couldn’t see Ian yet. He couldn’t believe the amount of people that filled the church. Some of the guests were people they could stand from the old neighborhood—mostly Ian’s acquaintances, of course. The majority of the guests had traveled in for the nuptials, however. Claude, all of Anthony’s team including the lineup that had rescued Mickey, all his guys from Mexico, as well as their significant others. The extended families of Sylvana, Mateo and Pablo were also in attendance. Every last one of them, which Mickey was sure filled half of the church alone. Mateo and Mandy’s artsy fartsy friends were also there. Mickey swore he even saw his little league coach, which made him chuckle.

As they got closer, he could see that there were two officiants—one for Mandy and Mateo, and one for him and Ian. He saw Mateo’s 1000-watt smile dead-focused on Mandy, who was reciprocating the look to her fiancé. Mickey couldn't be any fucking happier for his sister. He only needed to take a few more steps before he would be able to see Ian.

And BOOM. There Ian stood, and Mickey had his breath knocked right out of his chest.

He looked perfect. _Beyond_ perfect.

Tears started to form as Mickey locked eyes with Ian, who was already wiping his face. He was wearing a gorgeous black tux with a crisp white shirt and emerald green tie. Mickey was dressed in a similar style, but his suit was navy blue with an azure blue tie.

Mickey walked Mandy over to Mateo, who gave him a firm hug before taking Mandy’s hand. Mickey then walked over to take his place next to Ian. The closer he got the more beautiful Ian looked. Mickey was overcome with emotions that he kept trying to fight so as to not become a sobbing mess. He eventually gave up, letting all of his emotions flood him after realizing he had absolutely nothing or nobody to hide from anymore, or ever again. He was with his family, who loved him dearly. He was safe.

As the ceremony progressed, so did the sniffles from the crowd. Everything was beautiful, down to the readings performed by their loved ones. Mandy and Mateo exchanged vows first, and there was not a single dry eye in the church. It was Ian and Mickey's turn next, and Ian was up first.

“Mikhailo Aleksandr Milkovich," Ian said as his voice cracked, preparing to sing Mickey his vows. He turned around to the musicians and gave them the cue to start.

He began to sing as best he could:

 

 _I wanna make you smile whenever you’re sad,_  
_Carry you around when your arthritis is bad,_  
_All I wanna do, is grow old with you._

 

Tears started to well in Mickey’s eyes. The memory of that night coming back to him like a tidal wave.

 

 _I’ll get your medicine when your tummy aches,_  
_Build you a fire if the furnace breaks,_  
_Oh it could be so nice, growing old with you._

 

Everyone was filled with so much emotion, and Mickey couldn’t even try to keep it together. He remembered when they watched The Wedding Singer, and Mickey didn’t think Ian saw him trying to secretly wipe away the tears when Adam Sandler sang those words to Drew Barrymore, but apparently he did.

 

_I’ll miss you,_ _Kiss you,_ _Give you my coat when you are cold._

_Need you,_   _Feed you,_   _Even let you hold the remote control._

 

Mickey couldn’t have been more touched, because these were the perfect words coming from the perfect man _._

 

 _So let me do the dishes in our kitchen sink,_  
_Put you to bed if you’ve had too much to drink,_  
_I could be the man, who grows old with you._

 

It was more than perfect actually, considering MIckey’s vows.

 

“I wanna grow old with you, Mick.” Ian was proud of himself for finishing without breaking down, especially with the reactions he got from the song.

Now it was Mickey’s turn  

“Ian Clayton Gallagher," Mickey said as he cleared his throat.

“So it’s not gonna be easy, It’s gonna be really hard, and we're gonna have to work at this every day. But I wanna do that because I want you, I want all of you, forever, You and me. Everyday.”

"Oh, and I choo-choo-choose you,” Mickey finished as he squeezed Ian’s hands.

Now it was Ian’s turn to cry, because he made Mickey sit through _The Notebook_ , and though he thought Mickey wasn’t paying any attention at all, apparently he was, and that made Ian’s heart burst. Then he had to go and put the topping on the sundae with Ralphie’s words to Lisa from _The Simpsons_.  

The officiant asked for the rings. Mickey looked to Pablo, who was supposed to be holding them, but he shook his head no. Mirabel set her basket of flower petals on the ground and poked into the basket, causing a snoozing Fire Crotch to pop up. She hopped out of the basket and ran over to Ian and Mickey with two rings fastened to her little dress. Ian swooped her up while Mickey untied the rings, shaking his head like he was disapproving of their fur baby in a gown. Deep down, he thought it was the cutest fucking thing he'd ever seen in his life. Aside from Ian, of course.

They placed the rings on each other's fingers, and it was their turn to kiss as they were announced husbands for life.

*******

After a shitload of pictures, the group headed over to the Ritz Carlton for the reception, which was the absolute perfect evening to end the most perfect of days.

Mickey was heading back into the reception hall after a bathroom break. Once he entered the room, he paused to look around and take it all in. Ian was on the dance floor making a fool of himself, Sylvana was sitting on Pablo's lap, giggling at something he was saying, and his crew was at the bar trying to pick up some of the bridesmaids. Everyone else looked so happy, filling the room with laughter and love for the two couples. He looked back at Ian, who was signaling for Mickey to join him on the dance floor, which he did. They spent the rest of the night dancing both fast and slow, laughing, and making out without a care in the world.

The next day, the couple woke up and headed to the airport to leave for their honeymoon. They were going to the Indonesian island of Bali, staying at the Viceroy for two weeks. They booked the Viceroy Villa, which was where Pablo and Syl had spent their honeymoon. Mickey didn't hesitate to book it, because if he and Ian could have even half of the love and respect those two had for each other, he would take any of their suggestions and advice in hopes that some of it would rub off on the newlyweds.

Mickey couldn't believe how much his life had changed. Of course he looked forward to spending the honeymoon with Ian, but he was more excited that he got to spend the rest of his days with him. For the first time in his life, he allowed himself to look forward to the future and what it had in store for him and his husband.

* * *

_**20 years later** _

“I don’t know how much longer Claude is gonna be able to keep running the dive shop, Mick,” Ian said, truly concerned.

”First off, that fucker is in better shape than me, but I’ve already got it covered, babe,” Mickey responded, looking up from his laptop.

“Oh yeah? Gonna fill me in?” Ian asked, pouring a cup of coffee for himself and Mickey.

‘Remember when Mimi and Matty came down to visit last month?” Mickey asked.

“Yes, of course,” Ian answered.

“While they were down here, Mimi had Claude certify her, so now she has Dive Master status,” Mickey said.

“Oh, so you think Mandy and Mateo are gonna let their daughter run our dive shop?” Ian responded.

“Already spoke to them both. They weren’t thrilled with the idea, but they're gonna let her come down until she gets tired and wants to move on to something else,” Mickey told Ian.

“You know that won’t happen, Mick. She fucking loves it here. She loves Claude,” Ian said.

“What they don’t know won’t hurt 'em, babe,” Mickey said, smiling up at Ian.

“Matty gonna stay in NYC?” Ian asked.

“Yeah, but he's gonna spend the summer out in LA training with Carl so he can be groomed to run the NYC site. He's gonna stay with Anthony and Fiona. Still can’t believe your little brother is running our training facility,” Mickey replied.

“Still can’t believe Fiona and Anthony are married,” Ian shot back.

“You know they fucked on our wedding day, right?” Mickey laughed.

“WHAT? HOW DID YOU...? Wait…you knew and didn’t TELL ME?!” Ian yelled but with no anger behind his tone.

“Ian, it was clear as day. You must have not been paying attention,” Mickey laughed.

“I WAS PAYING ATTENTION TO YOU!” Ian hollered.

“Listen, she was getting ready to walk down the aisle at our wedding, and her dress was stuck in her thong, m’kay? Got to see your sister's ass that day. I paid enough, so get over it,” Mickey told Ian.

“Oh CHRIST. Okay, don’t wanna hear anymore,” Ian said as he sat down in the lounge chair next to Mickey.

“Yevy and Mirabel are coming home for Christmas, Mick. Yevy said he has something important to tell us,” Ian said.

“If he got her pregnant, I swear I'll kill that little shit. Have Claude kick him right off the back of the boat and throw in some chum,” Mickey replied.

“Yev's a good kid. He's smarter than that. Besides…they live together, and they're running the London office. Very successfully, might I add. They both have great jobs, and who cares if she's pregnant? Just another kid to keep the business going when we're old and grey, babe,” Ian said.

“Pablo and Syl will care, Ian. Fucking trust. Miami ain’t that damn far from St. Johns. Babe, I don’t need angry Mexicans busting down our door,” Mickey replied.

“You talk to Debs? How's she doing with Lip running the show up there? She ready to kill him yet?” Mickey said, changing the subject.

“Oh, she WILL kill him. Luckily we have people who are able to hide the body, and I doubt anyone will really miss him if he goes MIA,” Ian laughed.

“Truer words, babe. Truer words,” Mickey agreed.

“Mick, how about we ask everyone to come down for the holidays this year? We have plenty of rooms still free,” Ian asked.

“You really want the whole fucking circus here for Christmas, Ian? You forget what happened last time? We almost got kicked off the island, babe!” Mickey urged.

“Oh, we did not. One neighbor complained for shit's sake, Mick. One. And she complains about EVERYTHING and EVERYONE,” Ian laughed.

“Fine. I’ll reserve a block of rooms. You send out the email,” Mickey said.

“You're the best husband ever, Mick. Thank you! I love it when we're all together for the holidays,” Ian said as he reclined his chair back next to his husband.

“You still owe me for naming our goddamn hotel Gallavich Estates, Ian. Again, that black magic cock of yours working all kinds of voodoo on me,” Mickey said, reclining his chair as well.

“You love me and my black magic cock, Mick. So don’t even try to complain,” Ian teased.

“More than anything, babe. Happy anniversary,” Mickey said to his husband as they sat back in their lounge chairs, watching the boats come back into the marina as they watched the most beautiful sunset. 

* * *

Their Wedding Day

 

Mandy and Mateo and their house....and Fire Crotch!

 

Pablo, Sylvana, and Mirabel, and their house in Mexico City. They are both politicians, and Pablo really is the president of the Mexican Senate!


End file.
